A Piece Of Heaven
by slashdlite
Summary: The Hardyz finally realized their life-long dream but were they in for a rude surprise! SLASH! Multiple pairings - Mark/Jeff/Kane, Hunter/Shawn, Matt/Scott, Kevin/Sean, Chris/?, Raven/Jeff, Adam, Jay, Bradshaw, Rhyno, A-train.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

This is a Jeff Hardy slash fic and they are the only ones I will ever write.

Multiple pairings in here but the story focuses on Jeff and the Big Red Machine, Glenn. Yes, I'm trying to make amends for breaking the man's heart in my first story! I hope I won't do it here again or Souless666 may come at me with a picket, but no promises!

You may not know the following wrestlers, so I've indicated their ring names in brackets for easy reference. Scott Hall (Razor Ramon), Kevin Nash (Diesel, aka Big Daddy) and Sean Waltman (X-Pac). Together with Shawn Michaels and Hunter, they formed the Clique in the late 90's.

I'm never good with sticking to a plot so there will be lots of surprises. I hope you like the first chapter, please read and review!

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Chapter 1

"Matty, they're staring at us!" Jeff whispered as he huddled behind his brother, trying to evade the dozens of eyes looking their way.

Jeff was nineteen and Matt, his brother was twenty-two. Both boys grew up in the country and had not much exposure to the real world, especially Jeff. He was in awe with everything. Matt had at least seen the outside world, having left home for a year to attend college but subsequently dropped out when their daddy fell sick. He had decided to return home to look after him and Jeff.

As time went by, the brothers found their niche in wrestling. They were officially signed on by WWF (now known as WWE) a week ago, after having jobbed for the company for the past three years. Having just arrived at the arena, they had lost their way and found themselves in the wrong dressing room. Their entrance immediately caught the attention of some of the veterans who were staring at them unabashed. Scott, Kevin and Hunter and several others took one look at them and had started guffawing.

Scott couldn't hide his amusement, "Look at them, they're so young, like babes in the woods! If they keep turning up like that, this place will be turned into a nursery!" he chortled loudly, much to Matt and Jeff's embarrassment.

Shawn Michaels closed his locker and slapped Scott playfully on the back of his head, "Stop teasing them, shouldn't you be getting ready?"

He had just changed into his ring attire and his presence made an immediate impression on the brothers. Matt and Jeff stood with mouths agape, they were star struck! They couldn't believe their eyes, it was Shawn Michaels, the Heartbreak Kid! Shawn had been Jeff's inspiration to take up wrestling in the first place and the besotted male was now looking at him with adulation.

A low voice rumbled from behind them making them jump, "Lost your way, boys?"

They turned around and saw the Undertaker looking down at them with an eerie glare. They didn't know then that he always looked like that. Jeff gulped and took a step backwards, intimidated by Mark's overwhelming presence.

Matt managed to find his voice, "Huh, we're new here and we don't know where our dressing room is."

Mark nodded and pointed, "Walk all the way down the corridor and take a left turn, there's an adjoining room, you can't miss it."

Matt thanked Mark before side-stepping him and pushed Jeff ahead of him, not realizing that there was someone else blocking their way.

"Owie!" Jeff cried out as he collided with a wall of hard flesh.

He rubbed his forehead and looked up at the red suited giant towering above him. He was so much bigger and taller than the Undertaker and had a mask on. Jeff immediately recognized him as Kane, half-brother of the Undertaker and one-half of the Brothers of Destruction. He could see his eyes through the slits on the mask and they were staring unblinkingly down at him. For some reason, Jeff stared back, mesmerized by them. Kane remained still, his eyes locked on Jeff's, not saying a word. And then his eyes blinked and Jeff thought they looked friendly.

Matt stared up in awe at the giant. These huge men were intimidating and he felt vulnerable in their presence. He was uncomfortable with that thought and it didn't help that several men in there were staring at them like fresh meat.

Mark smirked when he noticed how Glenn's presence affected the newcomers.

He called out, "Glenn, move out of the way, the little ones need to get to their dressing room to get ready."

Jeff huffed and started, "Little ones? I'll show him …," but Matt quickly placed a hand over his mouth, he didn't want any trouble from these big guns!

Mark cocked an eyebrow and looked at them quizzically and Matt smiled weakly at him, praying the Deadman wouldn't take offense to Jeff's outburst. To his relief, Glenn stepped aside and Matt muttered his thanks before pushing Jeff out quickly, making their escape.

Jeff turned back briefly and caught a glimpse of Glenn looking back at them. He ventured to give him a small wave and smile but he couldn't tell if the gestures were returned as they had turned the corner. _So, his name is Glenn, it's a nice name, better than Kane!_ Jeff thought to himself. Glenn struck him as an interesting individual and he decided to get to know him better.

He asked his brother who was now leading the way, "Matty, that Glenn guy is interesting, do you think we'll see him again?"

Matt kept on walking, looking for the dressing room and answered absently, "Yeah, I suppose so, why?"

"I want to know him better," Jeff answered as a matter-of-fact.

Matt stopped suddenly and Jeff bumped him from behind, "Owie, why do I keep bumping into people today?" he rubbed his nose, a woeful look on his face.

Matt took him by the shoulders, "Jeffro, I want you to listen very carefully. I don't want you going off looking for trouble, do you understand?"

Jeff pouted, "Who says I'm looking for trouble? I just want to know some of these people, there's nothing wrong with that!"

Matt sighed, "Look, can we talk about this later? We need to find the dressing room and get ready. There'll be a briefing session and we don't want to miss that!"

He pulled Jeff along, "Come on, I think it's around the corner."

Fortunately, they found the dressing room where wrestlers on the lower card were relegated. They quickly changed and managed to get to the briefing session on time, they just followed the other wrestlers.

Chairs were placed randomly and Matt and Jeff took their seats at the back of the room, away from the others. They wanted to remain inconspicuous. Jeff craned his neck, looking around for Glenn. He shouldn't be hard to miss! He grinned, was pleased as punch when he finally spotted him. Glenn was sitting on the far left, half-way across the room.

"Matty, there's Glenn! Can we move up? I want to talk to him!" Jeff bounced excitedly in his seat, pulling on his brother's sleeve to get his attention.

"No, Jeff, just sit here, the meeting will be starting soon," Matt patted his brother on the leg, trying to get him to settle down.

He would have to talk with Jeff later, about meeting up with strange men. Daddy had told him to take care of his baby brother and he intended to do just that. Having lost their mother at a young age, Matt had been mother, brother and friend to his younger brother. Daddy was always working and couldn't be there for them so he had also taken upon the parental role of father as well. Jeff always looked up to him and they got along well.

Matt knew there were people out there who would hurt his baby brother. Jeff is real pretty, with shoulder-length blonde hair, dark green eyes, full sensuous lips and a lithe body with long, slim legs. God must have been in a good mood when he created Jeff that day! But his beauty attracted unwarranted attention and had been a bane to his young life, thus by far!

Matt found out about the first case of sexual harassment from Shannon, Jeff's best friend. He was younger than Jeff but they attended the same school. Shannon had called him one day while he was at home, urging him to get to the school as fast as he could as Jeff was in trouble. He said he would wait for him at the gate and he sounded scared. When Matt got there, Shannon hurriedly told him that Jeff was cornered in the gym room by two senior year boys. He couldn't get in as the others were keeping him out and his last resort was to call Matt. He quickly led Matt to the gym where yells and jeers could be heard.

Matt had pushed his way through the crowd, Shannon following close behind. He had already started building his body in preparation for a wrestling career and carried a fine physique. The crowd threw him curious looks but they let him passed.

Jeff was flanked by two lanky guys and he looked terrified. He was defending himself with a chair, swinging it at them when they tried to come near him. The on-lookers were cheering the seniors on, encouraging them to take things further, shouting, "Strip! Strip! Strip!"

Matt bared his teeth with anger, _Bastards!_ He shouted and the crowd fell silent, turning in his direction as he made his way to his brother's side. Jeff was never so relieved to see his brother then. He was almost on the verge of tears but he put up a brave front, refusing to break down in front of them.

"Jeff, are you alright?" Matt asked in a concerned voice as he hugged his brother to him.

Jeff dropped the chair and clung tightly to him, his face buried in his chest. He couldn't speak, knowing he would break down and cry if he tried. He was shaking like a leaf.

Holding tight to his brother, Matt looked towards the two seniors and demanded to know, "What the hell do you think you're doing? I'll report you to the authorities if you don't explain yourselves right now!"

There were mutterings among the crowd and the two seniors looked at each other uneasily. One of them finally spoke up, "We were just having some fun, why don't you mind your own business!" he said defiantly.

Matt's eyes glinted dangerously, "Fun? You call terrorizing my brother fun?"

They looked taken aback at that and kept quiet. So, pretty boy had a big brother to protect him! Well, they would just have to wait for another opportunity to get their hands on him!

But Matt knew what they were thinking, "I'm warning you, if any of you so much as lay a finger on my brother, I will go to the authorities and charge everyone here for sexual harassment and abetment! You got that?!"

He didn't wait for a response. His main concern was to get Jeff safely out of there. He led his brother away from the gym and nobody tried to stop them.

From that day onwards, Matt encouraged Jeff to start training with him, to make himself stronger so that he could defend himself. But that incident and several others over the years were reminders as to how vulnerable Jeff was. He couldn't help the way he looked and he certainly didn't ask for the uncalled attention he received time to time.

Matt was worried that Jeff might get himself into a fix. He suspected that Jeff was leaning towards guys, having discovered the magazines with explicit pictures of the male gender which Jeff kept under his bed while cleaning his room. He had never seen Jeff dated any guy, or gal, as a matter of fact. Maybe, his brother was just curious but he didn't want to take the chance of Jeff getting himself involved and hurt by one of these big men.

The side door opened and Vince McMahon stepped in. He was followed by Jim Ross, the Talent Relations Manager who had signed on Matt and Jeff. Vince greeted everyone and gave them a run-down of the game plan for the week. After answering some issues raised by several wrestlers, he handed the floor to JR.

"I know all of you have to get ready for the show so without further adieu, let me introduce to you two newcomers who have joined our family. They are brothers and they hail from Cameron, North Carolina. Let us put our hands together for Matt and Jeff Hardy!"

Everyone gave them a warm welcome of applause and JR called out, gesturing to them, "Matt, Jeff, come on up here!"

The boys got up and walked towards JR who put a hand each on their shoulders as he introduced them, "This is Matt and this is Jeff."

Vince walked forward to shake their hands warmly, "Welcome to the family, boys!"

The brothers beamed but their joy was temporarily cut short when cat-calls and whistles started ringing out among the audience and someone shouted, "Look at that blonde, I want a piece of that ass!" This was followed by raucous laughter.

Jeff blushed furiously and kept his eyes down but Matt was outraged. His eyes searched for the offender but it was impossible to pick him out.

JR shook his head despondently and pushed them gently towards some empty seats in the front before turning back to the crowd, "Shame on you for spoiling it for them! I may have to ask Vince to levy a fine on the culprits!"

The room went quiet, someone coughed and snickering was heard. Jeff kept his head down, eyes brimming with tears. He longed to be accepted but the reaction he got was always the same wherever he went, he should have known better! He felt bad for Matt who always got implicated in his problems. His tears fell and he quickly wiped his sleeve across his eyes, not wanting anyone to see him cry. Matt noticed and put one hand around his shoulder to comfort him.

Glenn watched the proceedings from where he sat. His face was unreadable with the mask on. He would normally put it on only just before he went out to the ring but for some unknown reason, he had decided to wear it when he heard about the newcomers coming in that day. As he watched the little blonde cry, the only visible sign that he was actually upset were the clenching and unclenching of his fists.

JR turned to look at Vince who glared at everyone in the room.

He issued a stern warning, "I'm going to let it go just this once but if it happens again, a fine of $1,000 will be imposed! You know who you are! What you do in your private time is your business but don't you dare bring your sick perversions into the workplace, I will not tolerate this nonsense here!"

He paused to let the message sink in and then dismissed them curtly, "The meeting's over!"

As the wrestlers streamed out, several made their way towards the Hardys to introduce themselves.

"Hi, I'm Chris Irvine, but Jericho is my ring name," Chris shook hands with first, Matt and then Jeff.

He held onto Jeff's hand longer than necessary and smiled warmly at him when Jeff lifted his eyes to look at him. Jeff smiled shyly back at him and tried to pull back his hand but Chris wasn't about to let him go.

"Don't worry about those assholes, if they give you any trouble, just let me know and I'll take care of it!"

He finally released Jeff's hand but his eyes were still trained on Jeff's face. He was captivated by the boy's beauty, those beautiful emerald eyes with the girly lashes and those lips! He unconsciously licked his lips as he stared at those sensual full lips, they looked so kissable!

A tall lanky blonde guy pushed Chris friendly, out of his way, "Move it, Chris! Hey guys, remember me?"

"Adam!" Matt and Jeff shouted gleefully in unison.

Adam gave Matt a fist bump and a quick hug but opened his arms wide to receive Jeff.

Jeff obliged and jumped into his open arms to hug him tight, "When did you get here? How come we didn't see you back there?"

Adam hugged him back and laughed, "I'll explain later but to keep it short, I was late but don't tell the boss and I wasn't the only one, see who's hiding behind me!"

He put Jeff down and stepped aside to reveal Jay Reso, aka Christian, who grinned broadly at the brothers.

"Look at us, we're finally back together! I'm so glad to see you guys finally made it here!" Jay gushed as he gave Matt and then Jeff, a brotherly hug.

The four of them had met at training school and had become firm friends. They had gone on their separate ways after that, keeping touch occasionally. Adam and Jay were signed on recently as well, just about a month ago but they had kept it a secret from the Hardys. They heard from JR that he was signing on the brothers and had decided to wait and surprise them at their first meeting.

Matt punched Jay friendly on the arm, "How come you didn't tell us that you were already here?"

"Well, we wanted to surprise you because we heard from JR that he would be signing you two on as well!" Jay grinned widely.

The four shared a group hug but were interrupted by a cough. They looked up to see none other than Shawn Michaels and Hunter themselves! Both men extended their hands to shake the brothers' hands.

Shawn apologized, "Sorry about the incident in the locker room just now, Scott runs his mouth a lot. He's all hot air, must be the onions he eats like staple food, you have to excuse him!"

Jeff giggled, he liked Shawn immediately. The guy had a great sense of humor!

Hunter grinned, "You're lucky you don't have to share your dressing room with him! When he breaks wind, all of us scrambled out as fast as we could, you would be knocked out by those fumes! Whooee!"

He fanned a hand in front of his prominent nose in exaggeration, drawing giggles from Jeff and chuckles from the rest. Someone clapped a hand on his back and Scott and Kevin made their presence known.

"Talking behind my back again, chico?" Scott asked, a toothpick stuck in the corner of his mouth and Hunter smirked, "You got it, I've nothing better to do anyways!"

Scott shook his head in resignation before turning his attention to Matt and Jeff.

He stared at Jeff who looked vaguely familiar to him, "You know, chico, I think we wrestled together a couple of years back. You were that kid that I went one on one with. I think I hurt your knee back then, sorry chico."

Jeff beamed at him, "You remembered!"

"Onions and chillies, they're good for the memory," Scott tapped on his temple to make his point.

Hunter and Shawn guffawed and that drew a frown from Scott, "Hey, don't make fun of me or I'll poke your eyeballs with my toothpick!" He removed the pick from his mouth to carry out his threat, his Cuban accent becoming distinct when he got agitated.

Kevin chuckled, one hand squeezing his buddy's shoulder, "You have to learn to ignore them, their bark is worse than their bite!"

He turned back to the Hardys, shaking their hands, "Name's Kevin Nash. You can also call me Diesel. Hey, no hard feelings but I'm just stating the facts, you boys are really small!" He said, looking them up and down.

"So what, we can still wrestle as good as the others!" a small built man stepped up to join them and introduced himself, "Sean Waltman, stage name's X-Pac." He extended his hand to shake the brothers' hands.

Matt and Jeff were finally glad to meet someone more to their size and immediately warmed up to him.

"He's the one to talk! At 7 feet and 340 pounds, he's always telling everyone else that they're small!" Sean laughed as he gave the brothers a wink.

The brothers laughed along with him and Kevin look abashed, "Okay, I shouldn't have run my mouth before thinking! You guys want to go to the cafeteria to grab something to eat?"

Mark spoke up then, "After we have introduced ourselves to these boys. I'm Mark and this here is Glenn. I believe we've met," he shook the boys' hands and stepped aside for Glenn to step forward.

Glenn shook Matt's hand first before taking Jeff's in a firm grip. He stared at him and Jeff stared right back at him. A glimpse of Glenn's pearly whites was visible through the slit and Jeff's face brightened up, Glenn was smiling at him!

He grinned up at him, "Hi, I'm Jeff! Your mask is so cool!"

Before Matt or anyone could stop him, he reached out a hand to touch the mask. Everyone froze, all eyes turned to them and they widened with further astonishment when Glenn allowed Jeff to continue his inspection. As Jeff ran his fingers lightly across the mask, Glenn stood still but if anyone was watching closely they would be able to see that his eyes softened considerably.

Matt gripped his brother's hand and pulled it away, hissing at him, "That was rude, Jeff, you shouldn't do that!" and to everyone's surprise, Glenn spoke, "It's alright, I don't mind."

Mark feigned a cough and turned away, hiding his amusement. It was the first time he had seen Glenn hit it off with anyone and to think it was with a cute, green-eyed blonde! He was going to have a helluva time teasing Glenn tonight when they were alone in their room!

Kevin broke the silence, "I'm hungry, let us get to the cafeteria before all the good food's gone!"

Everyone started moving towards the door and Glenn gestured politely to Jeff to walk ahead of him. It looked like the Big Red Machine had found himself a friend!

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Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………..


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Some of the wrestlers' ring names will be used for easy reference. Thank you for encouraging me to continue this story with your wonderful reviews!

It was the infamous Kliq, not Clique, sorry for the error.

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Chapter 2

Everyone was taken aback at how well Glenn and Jeff got along. They spent the entire evening chatting amicably until show time. As the Hardys made their way backstage after winning their match against Kaientai, Glenn stood waiting for Jeff at the entrance to his dressing room. He was still dressed in his ring attire and had his mask on. Jeff blushed on seeing him, Glenn was paying him a lot of attention and he enjoyed it!

Glenn grinned at them. Well, it was hard to tell with his mask on.

"Congratulations on your first win, want to go out and celebrate tonight?"

Jeff's face brightened at the suggestion and turned to his brother hopefully.

Matt looked hesitant, "I'm not sure …" and Jeff's face fell.

He understood why Matt was reluctant to out and celebrate. They really didn't have much money with them when they left home. They were so relieved when they learned that their hotel accommodation and car rental were covered by the company. Matt was controlling their purse strings, so to speak, and they had to be prudent with their spending. Even though they were exhilarated by their first win, they really couldn't afford to go out and celebrate like they wanted to.

Glenn studied the situation and realized the problem, "Hey, it's on me!"

Matt shook his head, protesting, "We can't let you pay for us!"

Their daddy taught them to be self-sufficient and always told them to live with what they have and never to greed for more.

"You can pay me back when you can," Glen offered.

Jeff turned pleading eyes towards his brother and tugged on his sleeves, "Please Matty, I'll give you half my paycheck to help cover the cost at the end of the month."

Matt looked at Jeff, his brother was giving him that lost-puppy look with his bottom lip sticking out. He knew he couldn't resist that look!

His heart softened and he relented, "Okay, but you must let us pay you back when we get our paycheck!" he insisted to Glenn and Jeff bounced excitedly on his feet, beaming at both of them.

Glenn smiled and nodded, "Whatever you say! Now, I'll go get ready, meet me at the car park entrance in half an hour!"

He quickly took his leave, heading towards his dressing room. Glenn wasn't the type to mingle, being a loner and he actually surprised himself with his impulsiveness. What would Mark say? He knew he would never hear the end of it from Mark after this but he didn't want to worry about that at the moment. He was so excited and found it hard to believe that he was going out with Jeff! It almost felt like a first date except that both their big brothers were tagging along. He intended to ask Mark to come with them since it would be awkward for him to just go by himself.

He made his way to his dressing room and found Mark sitting on the bench, pulling on his boots. He had already showered and changed. Glenn glanced around the room, good, they were alone.

He went to sit next to Mark, "Hey, I just invited the Hardys out to celebrate their first win. You're coming?"

Mark looked up and gave him a sly grin, his fingers busy with the shoelaces, "You really like that little blonde, don't you?"

He chuckled and added, "Didn't know he's your type but he's cute as a button though!"

Glenn was thankful that he had his mask on. Mark would have too much fun teasing him endlessly if he could see him blushing now! He remained silent and waited as Mark finished lacing up his boots.

Mark finally looked back at him, his face serious, "You're sure about this? He's just a kid."

"Are you coming or not?"

Glenn evaded answering his question. He didn't want to discuss the issue with Mark, well, maybe not right now. He still didn't know if Jeff felt the same way about him. Sure, they got along fine but what if Jeff was repulsed by his looks if he saw him without his mask?

Born with a pin-sized pupil in one eye and with his towering size, Glenn appeared terrifying to most people. WWF had run a storyline that his face was disfigured by a fire as they thought a mask would lend a mysterious air to his whole persona. It worked, too well, as a matter of fact. People turned and ran from him, treating him like a freak, which he was not. He was hurt by their impressions of him but there was nothing he could do to change their minds.

Mark clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Of course I'm coming. Do you mind if the others join us?"

Glenn shook his head, busy untying his mask, "No, you can ask them to come along as well. The brothers don't have much cash to throw around, so your friends can pick up the tab."

Mark laughed uproariously, "Woah, so, you have an ulterior motive for inviting me along! That kid really got to you, huh? I'm your brother and you've just met him, talk about priorities!"

Mark teased, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Glenn finally got his mask off and grinned at Mark, "I've spent twenty-eight years living with you, it is time for me to look for someone to share my life with! Anyway, knowing Scott, it's only fair that he foots most of the bill!"

Mark laughed, squeezing Glenn lightly on his shoulder, "I can tell you're happy around the kid. I hope things work out for the two of you!"

Glenn smiled appreciatively, "Thanks and don't call him 'kid', his name's Jeff."

Mark rolled his eyes at that.

Glen's smile was suddenly replaced by a worried frown on his face, "Do you think he will find me repulsive when he sees me like this?" he asked anxiously.

Mark shook his head, "There's nothing wrong with the way you look. If he really likes you, he wouldn't mind your appearance, it's what's inside here that counts!" he tapped lightly on Glenn's chest near his heart.

Glenn sighed, "I hope you're right!"

He got up and made his way towards the shower room, "I'm going to take a quick shower, I told them to meet us at the car park entrance in about twenty minutes from now."

Fifteen minutes later, they were at the meeting place but only Matt was there. Mark could see the disappointment on Glenn's face. The younger Hardy must have changed his mind.

"Hey Matt, where's Jeff?" Mark asked but Matt didn't reply, he was staring up at Glenn with wide eyes.

Glenn noticed and asked between gritted teeth, "What're you staring at?"

He felt hurt and somewhat angry that Jeff didn't turn up and it didn't help that Matt was staring at him like he had horns on his head! He should have known that it wouldn't work out, he was only deceiving himself! Jeff was only going to reject him and his heart sank at that thought, he felt miserable.

Matt came to his senses, "I.. huh, I'm sorry for staring but it takes some getting used to," he said, embarrassed by his rude behavior.

Glenn took a deep breath to calm down before saying, "It's okay, I am so used to people staring at me all the time," and asked tentatively, "Where's Jeff?"

He hoped there was a reasonable explanation for his absence and there was.

"He forgot his journal and went back to get it, he should be here soon," Matt explained.

Glenn's face slowly broke into a grin, "Oh, I thought he has changed his mind!"

Matt snorted, "Jeff changed his mind? That is highly unlikely seeing that my brother loves to party! We may be country boys but we know how to have fun, wait till you see him on the dance floor!"

Mark smirked and said, "Well, Glenn has got some moves too, it looks like they have something in common after all!"

He was looking forward to seeing those two tear up the dance floor! It was about time Glenn came out of his shell!

He saw Kevin, Scott and Sean making their way towards them and he asked Matt, "You mind if they join us?" he nodded towards them.

Matt turned to see and though it was dark, Mark thought he saw Matt blushed.

"Huh, no, I don't mind," he said, his gaze fixed on Scott.

Mark noticed and smiled to himself. S_o, the boy has a thing for Scotty, this is going to be an interesting evening indeed!_

Glenn fidgeted restlessly. It shouldn't take long for Jeff to fetch his things, what could have kept him?

~*~

Jeff walked into the dressing room and after some frantic searching, found his journal. It was hidden underneath some towels left on the bench. With a squeal of delight, he grabbed it and hugged it towards him. The book contained his 'special moments'; thoughts and words that crossed his mind when they were on the road. He would pen them down when he had these flashes of inspiration and then wrote them as poetry. Jeff was also artistic, he loved to draw and sometimes, he would sketch in his journal as well. He was quite the poet and artist!

Jeff left the room quickly and made his way along the corridor. Up ahead, at the entrance of the top card wrestlers' dressing room, two men were chatting and they stopped as soon as they saw him. Jeff stopped in mid-stride, feeling uneasy at the way they were staring at him but then decided to keep on walking, keeping his head down. His path was suddenly blocked and he gasped in surprise, taking a step back.

"Well, well! What do we have here? Hmm, you're a pretty one," the taller man spoke, his eyes slowly roving down Jeff's body.

He looked up lasciviously at Jeff and asked, "Want to hang out with us? We can have some fun together!"

Jeff shook his head, "No, I…I..I have to go, I'm meeting my brother," he said softly and tried to walk around them but the man put out his hand to stop him, "Come on now, don't be shy, I'm just trying to be friendly," his words belying his true intentions.

Jeff backed off slowly, clutching the book to his chest, shaking his head. He had been in countless situations before, similar to this one and he knew what was coming. He gulped when he bumped into someone behind and turned his head slightly to see that two more guys had joined them. He was now flanked by four men and he knew he had to act fast. Dodging quickly under the arm of the man blocking his path, he tried to make his get-away but was pulled back by an arm wrapped around his waist.

Jeff started to kick and squirm, "Let me go! Let me go or I'll scream!"

The four men just laughed at his futile efforts to break loose and the man holding him pressed against his back, letting him feel his hard on. Jeff was frightened but he was outraged by the man's impudence to take advantage of him.

"Let me go, damn it! I said, LET ME GO!"

Jeff twisted his body around and kicked the man hard in his shin. He let out a loud yelp of pain before releasing Jeff who immediately tried to make a run for it. But, they were ready for him. One of them yanked him back by his hair.

"Oww…." Jeff's eyes smarted as pain tore through his scalp. He tried to free himself but found himself thrown against the wall, his back to it and his arms pinned down his sides. He continued to struggle but he just couldn't break the man's strong hold.

The stocky man leaned his face close to Jeff, "You're a feisty one, I like that!"

He sniffed appreciatively at Jeff's hair and then his neck, "Hmm…. you smell so good! I wonder what you taste like ...."

He traced the outline of Jeff's lips with his tongue while pressing his body hard against him, finally crushing his mouth fully against his. Jeff whimpered against his mouth, his eyes widened with fear when the man's arousal prodded his belly. He started to squirm to get loose but it only excited the man further. He forced his tongue into Jeff's mouth and plundered it, ignoring the raucous laughter behind him. The boy tasted of sweetness and it was extremely tantalizing and addictive. He wanted more and Jeff's frightened whimpering only whetted his desire for him!

"Get off him right now before I rip off your tongue and pecker!" a threatening voice broke through the laughter.

Amidst his lust-crazed mind, Raven heard and recognized the voice and released his hold on the boy. He and his friends turned to face their adversaries. Hunter fixed them with a deadly glare while Shawn quickly moved and pulled Jeff to their side. He was trembling and Shawn tried to comfort him but he still kept an eye on the men, they were still outnumbered.

"Why don't you mind your own business, Hunter? This has got nothing to do with you or that little bitch at your side!" Bradshaw rasped out angrily while Raven, Rhyno and Kanyon took an offensive stance against them.

Shawn stepped forward, wanting nothing more than to hit the loud-mouthed Texan but Hunter pushed him back.

"You watch your mouth or you'll be eating through a straw! This kid here and his brother are hereby under the Kliq's protection. If any of you touches him again, you'll answer to us! You got that?" Hunter spoke between gritted teeth.

The four men were about to challenge him when they saw Glenn and Mark making their way towards them. Glenn took one look at Jeff's frightened countenance and he saw red. Without thinking twice, he growled before bearing down on them, his fists flying! He knocked Bradshaw down with a right uppercut and rained blows on him. The Texan tried to protect himself with his hands but Glenn punched him hard in his guts, causing him to gasp out in pain.

The place was soon in an uproar with everyone trading blows and even Jeff jumped in, he wanted payback and bit down hard on the arm of Raven who had molested him earlier on. Raven screamed out in pain and drew his hand back to hit him but Mark caught it and twisted it hard, forcing him to his knees in submission. Several men spilled out from the dressing room, hearing the commotion and just stood and watched, too shocked to move until some started shouting, "Break them up!" They were shaken out of their reverie and started pulling the men apart.

Vince pushed his way through and took in the scene, an incredulous look on his face, "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here?" he roared, his face turning a beetroot red.

Everyone started to talk at the same time and the Chairman found himself shouting again, "Stop yammering at the same time! I don't understand what you're saying!"

He looked crossly at them and was taken aback when he saw Jeff among them.

"Hardy? What are you doing here with these buffoons?"

Jeff looked shamefaced and fidgeted uncomfortably under Vince's inquisitive eyes. He was afraid to look him in the eye since he was the cause of the trouble. Will Vince fire him? He started to tremble with fear.

Vince's eyes softened when he saw how frightened Jeff looked. He stopped to think for a moment before saying brusquely, "Hardy, I want to see you in my office, now!"

Hunter, Shawn and Glenn opened their mouths to protest but Vince shut them up, "You'll get your chance to explain what happened, but right now, I want to see the kid alone!"

He turned and strode away and Jeff followed him meekly from behind. They reached his office and Vince gestured to him to sit before sitting himself behind his desk. He studied Jeff silently. He really liked the kid and his brother. They had been jobbing for the company for three years and never once uttered a complaint or cause any trouble. They were hard working as well and Vince knew they have what it takes to become superstars, and that was why he hired them!

Jeff's heart was beating a mile a minute, he was certain that Vince was going to fire him. Tears started to fill his eyes and they fell on their own free will.

Vince asked him gently, "Want to tell me what happened out there, Jeff?"

Jeff sniffled and looked up at Vince, "I.. I'm sorry, it was all because of me," he broke down and cried, hiding his face in his hands.

Vince sighed and leaned back, waiting for him to calm down. After a minute or two, he asked Jeff quietly, "Did someone approach you?"

Jeff looked at him, a questioning look on his face and Vince decided to rephrase his question, "Did someone touch you against your will?"

Jeff blushed furiously, refusing to look at Vince and he knew he was right, gauging from the boy's reaction. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, already feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on.

It was hard running a company filled with men with raging hormones who had been kept from their loved ones for far too long. Their jobs entailed them to spend almost 340 days a year on the road, travelling from city to city, town to town. Somehow, there was an unwritten rule in the locker rooms that they could assuage their sexual appetites with one another, provided both parties agreed to it. With time, that rule was broken and there were a few who just took what they wanted without their consent, it was tantamount to rape.

Vince couldn't do anything to stop it mainly because the weaker ones knew there were repercussions if they spoke up against them. So, they sought protection from within their circle, offering their services to those who could protect them. It was better than being taken against their will and at least they could choose who they wanted to be with.

Vince rubbed his face wearily, each time he recruited a wrestler, the problem raised its ugly head. And he wasn't exactly surprised that it happened almost immediately because the kid sitting in front of him was, indeed, very attractive!

He turned to look at Jeff again, "Do you know the guy who tried to force himself on you?"

Jeff shook his head, "I don't know his name but he was with three others and they ambushed me just when I was leaving."

Vince prodded, "And who came to your rescue?"

Jeff hesitated before replying, "Hunter and Shawn."

"Who started the fight?"

Vince pressed on but this time, Jeff chose to remain silent. He didn't want to get Glenn into trouble.

Vince studied him and then sat back to lean against his chair, "It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want to give you some advice, though. If anyone approaches you or your brother and offers you protection, take it! You're going to need it now more than ever, because of what happened just now. Just be careful and don't go anywhere by yourself. You can go now."

Jeff stared at Vince with disbelief, "I.. I can go? You… you're not going to fire me?"

Vince heaved a sigh of exasperation, "Why should I fire you? You didn't do anything wrong! Now, leave before I change my mind!"

Jeff shot out of his chair so fast that it almost toppled over. "Thank you, sir, I promise not to get into trouble, thank you!"

He quickly exited and was surprised to see his new found friends waiting outside the office. Glenn, Mark, Hunter and Shawn immediately approached him.

Glenn asked worriedly, "What did Vince say?"

Jeff didn't answer immediately but stared at him, his mouth slightly agape. Glenn flushed and waited for Jeff's reaction, would he accept him?

And to his great relief, Jeff smiled shyly up at him before replying, "He told me to be careful and not to go off alone by myself next time."

Their eyes met and it was Jeff's turn to blush.

He finally pulled his eyes away and turned to the rest, "I want to thank you all for getting me out of trouble, I don't know what would have happened if you didn't turn up."

He shuddered, believing that it would have gone much worse.

Shawn smiled and put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry, you're now under our protection, no one would dare touch you now!"

Glenn looked incredulously at him, "Under your protection? The hell he is! He's under our protection!"

Shawn frowned, looking to Hunter to back him up and he did, "Glenn, we were the ones to get to Jeff first and I told Bradshaw and his goons that he and his brother are under the Kliq's protection."

Glenn spoke between bared teeth, "I'm not going to let that happen, Jeff belongs with us! I arrange to meet him and Matt but he went back to get his journal. He and Matt belong with the Brothers of Destruction!"

Mark put a hand on his shoulder, "Calm down, Glenn, we can sort this out after we meet up with the rest. We better get out of here before Vince calls us in and then we'll never be able to leave! Come on!" he turned to leave.

Glenn hesitated before following, pulling Jeff along, "Come on, Jeff, Matt's waiting for us!"

Hunter and Shawn looked at one another before calling out to them, "Wait for us, we're coming with you!"

Jeff wanted to go back to look for his journal and the others followed him but they couldn't find it.

"Someone must have picked it up, don't worry, it'll turn up!"

Glenn assured him and Jeff had no choice but to let the matter rest, there wasn't anything anyone could do right now.

He sighed and followed them out to the car park entrance and found his brother waiting on them with Scott, Kevin and Sean.

"What took you so long?" Matt asked his brother and Jeff just hung his head down before muttering, "Sorry."

Hunter and Shawn were giving the Kliq members a rundown of what took place and were now conferring in whispers.

Kevin turned to Mark and Glenn, "From what we just heard from Hunt and Shawn, we have a problem here."

"I don't see any problem, I ask Jeff and Matt out and they agreed and that puts them under our protection," Glenn stated as a matter-of-fact.

"But we saved Jeff from Raven's clutches," Shawn protested, adding, "He would have been badly hurt if Hunt and I didn't step in!"

Matt looked on, confused, "What are you guys talking about? What protection and who's Raven and did Jeff get into trouble?"

Hunter quickly told him what happened and Matt was taken aback to learn that Jeff almost got raped! And what were these protection groups?

Scott took over and explained to him, "We have independent groups within the company that offer protection services. It keeps you safe from unscrupulous people who would take advantage of you if you were not kept under any one's protection."

Matt nodded, he understood the concept.

Scott continued, "It appears that the Kliq and the BOD, now claim that both of you are under their protection."

Mark and Kevin looked at one another before turning back to the situation at hand.

Mark said, "Why don't we let Matt and Jeff decide who they choose to go with? It's only fair and no one can dispute their decision."

Kevin nodded his head in assent, "That's fine with me!"

Matt was hesitant but he wanted to know, "Who is in which group?"

Kevin replied, "BOD has Mark and Glenn, and the Kliq has me, Scott, Sean, Michaels and Hunter. Why don't you discuss this with your brother? We'll wait."

Matt pulled Jeff aside and it appeared they were arguing. They finally turned back to the two protective groups who were waiting for them patiently.

"We have decided," Matt said and he glanced at his brother briefly before saying, "I want to join the Kliq," and Jeff spoke immediately after him, "I'm going with Mark and Glenn."

Their decisions took the groups by surprise but Glenn was exhilarated by Jeff's decision, he chose to stay with him! Mark suspected that Matt's crush on Scotty was the reason he chose to go over but he was glad that Jeff chose to join them. He could tell that Glenn was on top of the world right now, he was grinning like a Cheshire cat!

Everyone thought the brothers would want to stay together and Matt felt a need to explain, "Jeff and I can't agree so we decided to go with our own decision."

"Okay, now that that has been decided, what say we all go out and celebrate and then we can come back and celebrate some more!" Scott said suggestively.

"Wait, there's something we need to know, how much do we need to pay for these protection services?" Matt asked anxiously, he was worried that the fee might burn a deep hole into their pockets.

The Kliq and BOD started to chuckle and slowly, those chuckles built up to full-blown laughter. Jeff looked just as bewildered as Matt was.

It took them a while to calm down and Kevin finally enlightened them, "We don't accept money for our services. Being a member, each of us has the exclusive right to take and give pleasure to one another, that's payment enough."

Matt and Jeff turned pale and Matt recovered enough to ask in a mere whisper, "You mean giving sexual favors is the payment?"

Kevin nodded and his eyes twinkled with amusement as he added, "Yes, and it's not just exclusive between two people because we get to share among ourselves and we can have multiple lovers."

Matt mentally counted them, with him, there were six of them. Only one thought burned in his mind and that was, he was screwed!

Jeff looked at both Mark and Glenn, gulping audibly. He was going to get squashed by two of the biggest men on the roster and he almost swooned at that thought.

_What have we got ourselves into?_

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Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Looking at the number of reviews posted for the second chapter, it does look like the more seasoned wrestlers are not very popular among the readers. My guess is you don't know them and couldn't identify with them. I hope you will continue to read and review the subsequent chapters. A **BIG THANK YOU** to all those who have reviewed!

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Chapter 3

The Brothers of Destruction and Kliq were rivals but they got along famously most of the time. Both believed in fair play and they didn't give or invite trouble, unless necessary. To ensure some privacy, the guys had selected an exclusive 'members only' club, which Hunter was a member. It wouldn't do to have their pictures behaving abhorrently, plastered in the newspapers the following day or Vince would throw a hissy fit!

Matt and Jeff were awkward around the others. Their initial joy at their debut success was dampened by the fact that they were now not their own persons, they were owned. Matt was furious with himself for allowing themselves to be placed in such a predicament. Being the older brother, he should have known better and been more careful. He couldn't look out for Jeff any more, like he promised their dad, now that they were to stay with their respective protectors.

Feeling remorseful, he looked over to the dance floor where Glenn and Jeff were dancing. Glen had taken Jeff with him to ease him into the current situation. His attention was diverted when Scott sat down next to him, putting a glass of whiskey in front of him.

"Here, drink up and stop brooding, it's not as bad as it looks. Look at us, we get along fine and no one bothers us!" He took a shot of whiskey and poured himself another.

Matt flushed as he asked uneasily, "Huh … so what happens now?"

Scott was amused by his shy demeanor, "Well, you pick a partner. Though we are allowed to share our lovers, most of us prefer to stick to an exclusive partner, like Hunt and Shawn over there," he gestured to them and Matt turned to see the two necking at a secluded corner, "As for myself, I personally prefer Kevin and Sean."

Matt was shocked but he finally managed to squeak out weakly, "You do it in threes?"

Scott almost laughed out loud at his expression, "Yeah and let me tell you this, there's nothing like it in this world! Wait till you try it!"

He raised his glass to toast his announcement before downing it and pouring himself another.

"Oh fuck!" Matt muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. He took his glass and emptied it. Oh yes, he really needed that! He didn't know how he was going to take it all and a sudden thought struck him.

He turned back to Scott, "Huh, Scott, who gets to decide who tops and who bottoms in such a, huh … unusual situation?"

Scott finished his drink and looked at Matt. He said seriously, "Well, it all depends. It normally boils down to mutual consent or we take turns. With Kevin and Sean, Kevin tops, and if I join them, Kevin and I take turns to top but Sean always bottom for the both of us. And needless to say, Hunt gets to top Michaels."

Scott refilled his glass and downed it in one gulp and Matt frowned, the man was drinking way too much!

Scott set his glass down and looked at Matt, "So, who do you want first for your initiation?" he asked, a mischievous grin on his face.

Matt blushed furiously, at a loss for words, but he was saved from answering by the big man himself, the leader of the group. Sean was under his arm and he grinned at Matt.

"Stop hogging Matt all to yourself!" Kevin scolded Scotty before turning back to Matt, "you enjoying yourself?"

He clapped a hand on Matt's shoulder, squeezing it lightly before sitting down on the other side of him. He pulled Sean to sit on his lap and both looked amusingly at Matt. Matt blushed like a schoolgirl in their presence and Kevin laughed.

"I guess Scotty here must have told you about our protocol already. Have you decided who you want to be with?"

When Matt shook his head shyly, Kevin looked at him with disbelief, he knew Matt was lying. He had noticed the furtive glances Matt kept throwing at Scott but he didn't want to blow the boy's cover and embarrass him.

Kevin said, "Well, don't fret over it, just enjoy yourself and when we get back, we'll just roll with the dice!"

Sean chuckled before giving his big lover a peck on the cheek and turned to Matt, "Don't worry too much, Matt, we'll take care of you," he said in a suggestive tone which caused Matt to burn a deep shade of red.

Kevin grinned and grabbed his beer from the counter. He finished it and placed the mug down at the counter, gesturing for a refill before glancing briefly over at the dance floor.

What he saw brought a huge grin to his face, "Look at that!" he nodded towards the dance floor, "I've never seen Glenn ever enjoying himself, until now!"

Matt turned his head in the direction Kevin indicated and saw Glenn dirty dancing with his brother. His eyes widened in shock as he saw how close Glenn was pressed against Jeff's back, the front of his body fitted against Jeff's lithe form. He had one arm wrapped around Jeff's waist and he was nuzzling lovingly against his brother's neck. Jeff was leaning against him, eyes closed, hands resting on top of his, their bodies swaying in rhythm to the beat of the song. They looked like they were lost in their own world!

Despite himself, Matt found himself smiling. He knew that Jeff would be safe with Glenn and Mark. No one in their right mind would dare take advantage of him with those two around to protect him! He suddenly frowned as something odd struck him.

He turned to Kelvin, "Mark and Glenn, are they an exclusive group? They don't seem to have anyone, other than Jeff. Why is that?"

"They didn't want to take in anyone. I was surprised when Hunt told me that Glenn wants you and Jeff under their protection. They have never expressed any interest in anyone before and that was a first and I think, it probably may be the last. They don't just take in anyone!" Kevin informed him.

Matt thought over what Kevin just said and asked, "But why us?"

Kelvin contemplated the couple on the floor before answering, "I think Glenn has taken a great liking to your little brother! Have you noticed that he's been hanging around Jeff the whole day?"

Matt nodded as his eyes riveted back to his brother and Glenn. They were really an odd couple, Glenn was weird to begin with but so was his brother. After nineteen years, Matt still couldn't figure out his brother. Jeff kept to himself most of the time. He was quite the loner, preferring to draw and write poetry in his free time. He would only go out if Matt pestered him to go along.

Matt hated to admit it but sometimes, Jeff's behavior was bordering to almost bizarre. He was fond of coloring his hair in wild and unimaginable colors and painted his nails. Matt almost had a fit the first time Jeff did his hair in shocking pink and blue and had them up in two pigtails but with the passing of time, he had slowly grown accustomed to it. He had, however, forbidden his brother to wear his nail polish and wild hair colors to the workplace. He didn't want him to bear the brunt of all that teasing he knew would be forthcoming. Jeff didn't need to attract any more attention. It wasn't as if he needed any more of that!

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Mark walking towards Glenn and Jeff. He had been sitting by himself at a table, nursing a bottle of whiskey as he watched the on goings. He said something to Glenn who nodded and the three left the dance floor and headed towards them.

"We're heading back, we'll see you guys tomorrow," Mark said.

Jeff looked momentarily lost, shifting his gaze from his huge protectors to Matt. He finally asked the dreaded question that Matt feared to answer, "How am I supposed to get back to my room if Matty stays here?"

Shawn stepped up from behind him and informed him gently, "You won't be rooming with your brother. From now on, you will have to stay with Mark and Glenn, it's safer that way."

Jeff's eyes misted at the news and his voice quavered, "But … but …."

He didn't want to be separated from Matt, who had always been by his side. Why couldn't they stay together anymore?

Matt got up and hugged his brother to him, kissing his hair, "It's alright Jeff, Mark and Glenn will take care of you. We can still hang out and see each other!" He comforted him although he felt miserable himself.

When Jeff calmed down somewhat, Matt turned to Mark and Glenn, "Can I talk to the both of you, alone?"

The brothers nodded their assent and Matt left Jeff in Shawn's care before following the brothers outside. They went to sit in a quiet corner of the lounge.

"Please look after Jeff for me," Matt began. "This is the first time we've been apart and he's afraid. I need to inform you his idiosyncrasies so that you can understand and help him. Jeff doesn't like to sleep alone so you have to hold him until he falls asleep. He's also afraid of thunderstorms, please be patient with him? And he also has a habit of losing track of time when he's absorbed with a task, so you have to be at hand to take him with you when you need to get somewhere on time. And, please, give him at least two hours of advance warning before a scheduled appointment as it takes him that long to get ready."

He let out a deep sigh, "I think that's about it. I thought I should let you know or you may find yourself getting frustrated with Jeff."

He thought for a bit before quickly adding, "Oh, wait, there's one more thing, don't let him eat too much candy, especially skittles! He'll eat just that if you allow him and then you'll be in a world of trouble as he gets all hyper and you won't get a moment of peace!"

Mark and Glenn chuckled with amusement and Mark said with a grin, "You sound like his mother!"

A crestfallen look came over Matt's face and he whispered, "I wish we still have our mother, maybe then I wouldn't have to behave like one."

Mark and Glenn shared a knowing look, they understood how Matt felt. They, too, had also lost their parents at a young age. Mark asked gently, "When did you lose your mother?"

Matt sighed, "I was only twelve and Jeff was nine. Our mom died of cancer. Our daddy has to work so I have to take charge of everything else and look after Jeff. We were pretty isolated back home but now that we're out here, I need to keep Jeff safe and I can't do it no more if he's not staying with me. So, please take care of him for me, you can see the kind of trouble he invites when he's left by himself."

Glenn nodded understandingly, "We'll take good care of him. No one will dare mess with us now that he's under our protection."

Matt gave him a grateful smile, "That's good to hear but please don't tell him what I've just told you. He thinks I treat him like a child and if he even suspects that I told you his secrets, he'll pout and then stop talking to me and then I'll have to buy him skittles to put myself in his good graces again!"

The brothers chortled with laughter and Matt joined them, grinning up at them, these big dudes were really cool even though they looked dangerous! He felt himself relaxing and was glad that he had these two men looking out for Jeff. Now, if he could only tell them without embarrassing himself.

"Huh, there's one more thing I need to tell you," he hesitated, wondering how to put it but there really wasn't any other way of saying it, "you have to be gentle with Jeff since it will be his first time."

Mark and Glenn blinked with surprise and Glenn looked incredulously at him, "You're sure? I mean with his hot looks and body, you're telling me he's still a virgin?"

Matt nodded, blushing lightly, "Jeff tells me everything, well, almost everything, so I know he hasn't done it yet. But don't tell him that I told you or he'll kill me! He doesn't want people to know that he's, huh, you know, still inexperienced, it makes him feel inadequate."

A heated look came into Glenn's eyes. He couldn't wait to have Jeff in his bed, the things he could do to him and have him do!

Mark saw the fiery look in his brother's eyes and grinned to himself. _So, Glenn has found himself a virgin, and a good looking one to boot! Man, is he going to have himself a helluva time tonight! _He found himself envying his brother.

He finally turned his attention back to Matt, studying him closely for a moment before asking, "You like Scotty, don't you?"

Matt blushed and Mark grinned before offering his advice, "Tell him! And if you guys hit it off, just ask him to make it exclusive so that you don't need to share him with anyone else."

"You mean, like Hunter and Shawn?" Matt asked hopefully and Mark nodded, his eyes suddenly veiled.

"Yes, like them," he said, a forlorn note in his voice.

He sighed before getting to his feet, "We better get going. We'll take Jeff with us and I guess we will see you tomorrow. And Matt, thanks for sharing with us, your brother is in good hands!"

~*~

After big hugs and bidding his brother a teary farewell, Jeff left with Mark and Glenn. Mark unlocked the door and let Jeff and Glenn in before locking the door after him.

He rummaged around his bag and pulled out a change of boxers, "I'm going to take a shower," he said and headed towards the bathroom.

Jeff was still standing in the middle of the room when he heard the water running in the shower. He glanced nervously at Glenn who gave him a reassuring smile.

Glenn approached him and leaned down to whisper huskily in his ear, "Let us go in and join Mark, he's feeling kind of lonesome."

Jeff's knees went weak and almost buckled but Glenn's arms went around him, holding him up. He was finding it suddenly difficult to breathe. He started to shake, feeling absolutely terrified!

Glenn tilted his chin gently to gaze into his eyes, "You have nothing to fear, we're not going to hurt you. I promise you'll enjoy the experience. Come!"

Glenn pushed him gently into the bathroom and quickly stripped off his clothes. Jeff whimpered with fright when he saw the length and size of Glenn's manhood. How could that possibly fit into him? His frightened eyes shifted from Glenn to his massive manhood and back to Glenn again.

Glenn wasted no time undressing Jeff and had him naked in a matter of seconds! He found himself trembling with anticipation as he slowly took in Jeff's graceful form; smooth fair skin, small waist, jutting hip bones that cried to be kissed and caressed, long slim legs that would wrap so nicely around his waist and grip him tight in the throes of passion. The slender shaft nestling on the bed of blonde curls arrested his attention and he wondered what Jeff tasted like. He brought his eyes back to Jeff's face and realized that he was staring in shock, yet fascinated, at his immense cock which had lengthened and thickened considerably and was now standing at full mast!

"It'll be alright," Glenn cooed softly as he half pushed, half carried the frightened boy into the inner shower room where Mark was taking a leisure shower, giving Glenn and Jeff their privacy. He was hoping they would be finished by the time he got out.

He turned around in surprise, "What …?" but Glen cut him off.

He spoke with a sense of urgency but kept his tone low so as not to startle Jeff any further, "Help me get him ready, he's running scared!"

Jeff was trembling visibly and Mark knew he had to calm him down. But it was a difficult task, seeing that Jeff was now looking down at his crotch and then let out a choked cry of alarm. He really couldn't blame the boy for his reaction since he was well hung at nine inches!

"Come here, Jeff, get under the water. Yeah, that's it, nice isn't it?"

Mark coaxed him to stand under the warm running water. He pushed the wet strands of hair away from Jeff's face and smiled gently down at him, saying softly, "We won't hurt you."

He leaned down and placed soft kisses on his face, his eyes and his lips until he felt Jeff relaxing. Slowly, he run his hands down Jeff's side and up again before moving them to caress and tease his nipples into hard nubs. Jeff whimpered softly and closed his eyes, he could feel a slow flush spreading through his body and they seemed to move all the way down to his groin area. His shaft twitched and he arched his back, thrusting his hips forward involuntarily.

Mark met Glenn's eyes above Jeff's head and they grinned at each other, their innocent little virgin was very responsive! Mark bent his head to tug and suck on his nipple, teasing the other with his hand. Jeff gasped and arched into Mark's mouth, loving the feel of Mark's tongue and teeth. He watched with half-lidded eyes as Mark laved on his sensitive nubs, mewling softly.

Meanwhile, Glenn pushed his hair to one side, baring his neck. He kissed and nibbled on the wide expanse of his neck before latching his lips onto his pulse and bit gently down on it, just hard enough to get a reaction from his young lover. Jeff cried out, arching his whole body upwards, the sensations coursing through his body sent shivers down his spine. He found himself pliant under their hands, loving everything they were doing to him. He had never experienced anything like it before and he didn't want them to stop!

Glenn grinned against his skin, latching his mouth on Jeff's neck while running his hands down to caress his nether cheeks. He squeezed the globes gently before sliding a finger slowly along the crack to his sacred entrance. Jeff jumped and gasped sharply when Glenn brushed his fingers lightly around the puckered skin. He continued to tease, waiting for Mark to prepare Jeff for entry. Between them, they would get Jeff so aroused that he would only remember the pleasure and not the pain when they penetrated him.

Mark knew that Glenn was waiting on him but he didn't want to rush things. He wanted to prepare the boy well before taking him. He was a sweet kid and Mark was adamant to have him cherished his first time.

He kissed and caressed his way down Jeff's abs, hands caressing the gentle slope of his hips, down to the side of his thighs. He deliberately ignored Jeff's aching protrusion. Mark knelt and slowly parted Jeff's legs, placing soft kisses on the tender skin on his inner thigh. He could see Glenn's finger stroking the puckered skin and leaned in, his tongue took over Glenn's finger. Jeff squirmed and mewled sweetly as Glen continued to kiss his neck passionately while Mark teased his pucker lovingly with his tongue. He was in heavenly bliss!

Mark pushed his tongue passed the tight hole and Jeff's eyes shot wide opened. He keened loudly as he squirmed, enjoying how the slick muscle felt inside him. His legs buckled, trembling with the exertion of trying to stand and Glenn pulled him against him, one arm wrapped around his chest, the other around his waist.

Mark circled his tongue within the tight crevice, lubricating the entrance before pulling out. He could tell from Jeff's moans that he was almost ready but he needed to stretch him further before he could take him without hurting him. Gently, Mark pushed in a finger, rotating it until it went all the way in to his knuckles. He thrust in and out, searching for his prostate and managed to hit it. Jeff cried out deliriously, his hips arching forward to meet his finger and Mark grinned with pleasure. He added two more fingers and continued his ministrations, fucking Jeff with his fingers, deliberately hitting his prostate. Jeff writhed wantonly, thrusting urgently against Mark's fingers, panting loudly. Mark knew then that he was ready.

He removed his fingers and stood up, giving Glenn a questioning look who grinned and said, "You first, big brother" before lifting Jeff as Mark moved to pull his long legs up.

"Wrap your legs around my waist, Jeff," Mark ordered.

He was fully aroused and couldn't wait to push his pulsating rod into the hot and virginal tight hole. He aimed his cockhead and slowly pushed in, causing Jeff to cry out in pain. Glenn spoke soothingly to him, comforting him with his soft words and touches. Mark took a deep breath before attempting to push in further but he was met with resistance. _Damn! He's still too tight!_

Cursing inwardly, Mark withdrew and grabbed the bottle of conditioner, pouring a generous portion on his palm. He rubbed it all over his cock before throwing it down and proceeded to penetrate Jeff again. He pushed in and this time, it breached past the ring of muscles and went in smoothly. Jeff caught his breath and scrabble Mark's shoulders with his fingers. He buried his face against Mark's neck, whining softly as his body shuddered at the intrusion.

Mark gritted his teeth as he pushed his whole length slowly into Jeff, burying himself up to the hilt. He panted harshly, his cock was held in a vice grip and he had the urge to thrust. _Not yet, breathe in deeply. You don't want to hurt him. _He reminded himself.

Jeff squeezed his eyes tight, savoring the feeling of being filled to the core. He was connected to Mark in the most intimate way and it actually felt good. Glenn tilted his head to face him and kissed him passionately on his mouth. As Mark thrust in and out slowly, building momentum, Jeff shivered as unknown sensations raged through his body. He thrust his hips to meet Mark's forward thrusts while returning Glenn's kisses fervently, moaning sweetly against his mouth. Loud pants and wet slapping sounds filled the confined space as their bodies rocked against each other with needy desperation. Mark increased the pace and thrust hard and deep into Jeff's core!

He rasped out harshly to Glenn, "I'm almost there, don't let him cum yet!"

Glenn immediately released Jeff's mouth and wrapped his hand around Jeff's cock, tightening his grip at its base. Jeff was not to cum yet. Mark pounded into Jeff, driving him hard against Glenn. Jeff was now crying out wantonly, arching his hips in time with Mark's deep thrusts. Mark drove in hard and held still, a growl left his mouth as he released his load into Jeff. He closed his eyes in bliss as he filled Jeff to the brim. He finally pulled out, his seed dribbling down Jeff's thighs and stumbled backwards, leaning against the wall, trying to catch his breath as he watched Glenn turn Jeff around to face him. He lifted him up and impaled him without preamble with his hard rod. His entry was smooth with the added lubrication of Mark's seed.

Glenn pounded into Jeff with hard firm strokes, pulling Jeff in by his butt cheeks to meet his thrusts. He grunted as he quickened his pace and felt himself approaching the edge quickly. Using the wall as leverage to support Jeff, he thrust deeper and hit Jeff's prostate head on. Jeff cried out sharply and writhed deliriously, thrusting his hips urgently against Glenn's, both arms wrapped around his neck for support. Glenn felt himself coming and immediately took hold of Jeff's hard shaft and started to pump it rhythmically with his thrusts. With a strangled cry, Jeff released into his hand, his muscles contracted around Glenn's cock, milking it and Glenn shouted his release, shooting copious flow of hot cum within Jeff. He slid to the floor, coming down from the high, Jeff still joined to him.

Jeff lay limp with his eyes closed, whimpering softly while resting against Glenn who held him protectively against him on his lap. Glenn finally shifted and pulled out of Jeff with a grunt. He noted with satisfaction the content look on Jeff's face. He leaned in and kissed Jeff softly on his lips. His heart sang when Jeff opened his eyes and smiled weakly at him. He had thoroughly enjoyed his first time with them! He turned to Mark and their eyes met, a message passed between them.

Mark grinned and said, "Looks like we have found ourselves a keeper!"

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Thank you everyone, I really enjoy reading your reviews!

One note of clarification, I borrowed the Kliq members, Raven and Rhyno because I wanted them in the story. It didn't matter if they weren't around or hadn't even joined the Federation at that time. I never intended to capture the correct time frame for all the characters involved.

My dear readers, I can't have both Mark and Glenn going double anal on Jeff, it would have hurt him like hell and I so want him to enjoy his first time! (hehe) Well, maybe in later chapters!

I can really see Matt and Scott together! They look alike, having dark hair and chocolate colored eyes and their relationship is going to be an interesting one! Ooh, I'm going to have fun with these two!

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Chapter 4

The Kliq made their way to their rooms. They had adjoining rooms and Hunter and Shawn quickly bade them goodnight before disappearing into theirs. They couldn't wait to be alone, their eyes feasting on each other the whole night.

Kevin and Matt leaned Scott against the wall as Sean unlocked their door and both men helped Scott to the bed.

"We should have stopped him from drinking so much," Sean sighed as he looked at Scott who had already passed out and was snoring blissfully on the bed.

Kevin shook his head as he started removing Scott's clothes to get him more comfortable, "You know he's not going to listen anyways, so why bother?"

Matt stood and watched the proceedings, wondering where he was supposed to sleep. He had already collected his and Jeff things from their room. He would have to deliver Jeff's stuff to him the next morning since it was already late.

Kevin finally finished undressing Scott, leaving him only in his boxers and pulled the covers over him.

He turned to Matt, "Stay with him tonight, Matt. If you need help or anything, we are just next door. Good night."

Sean patted him on his back and they showed themselves out. Matt locked the door behind them before going to the bathroom to wash up and get ready for bed. After slipping off his clothes, he was about to crawl into his bed when he noticed Scott had kicked off his bedcovers. He pulled it up to cover the sleeping man and smiled to himself as he bent to brush the man's curls back from his face, he really didn't look that formidable when he was asleep.

Crawling into his own bed, he turned off the lights, his thoughts immediately going to Jeff. He missed him terribly! He missed holding him in bed like he used to since their mother died. Mom always tucked them in bed. Sitting on Jeff's bed, she would cuddle him to her, humming a tune or two until they fell asleep. Matt had taken over that role after she died. He wondered if Jeff was missing him just as bad.

Sighing, he turned over on his side and looked over at the man sleeping on the other bed. He wistfully wished he was lying beside him right now. He startled himself with that thought, since when did he start liking men? Okay, he did find those magazines Jeff kept hidden under his bed fascinating and he actually browsed through them when Jeff was in school or at Shannon's house. However, he had never gone out with a guy or shown any interest in one until Scott.

He found it puzzling that he could be attracted to the dark haired man when he knew nothing about him. What was wrong with him, he had these conflicting thoughts. One moment he wished he was in Scott's arms and the next, he wished he was anywhere but there. And then it dawned on him, maybe his alter ego didn't like the idea of being owned by any one.

Turning on his back, Matt stared into the gloom of the night, recalling the day's events. After hearing about Jeff's unpleasant encounter, he realized that they required protection after all. Well, Jeff did anyways but not him, he knew he can take care of himself. They needed to ally themselves with some of the established guys who could watch their back. Matt reluctantly agreed that it was for the best that they stayed with their protective groups, he wasn't prepared to compromise Jeff's safety for the sake of his own pride.

He yawned and checked his watch, realizing that it was really late. He would deal with what was coming the following day. It was time to get some sleep. As Matt drifted off to dreamland, he wondered if Jeff was having problems going to sleep without him.

~*~

Jeff stirred, feeling safe and warm though he was completely naked under the covers. Lying cocooned between Mark and Glenn, who had pulled their beds together so that Jeff could sleep with them, he was snug with both their bodies pressed closed to his.

Slowly opening his eyes, he found Glenn awake and watching him, a smile on his face.

"Morning, beautiful, did you sleep well?" Glenn asked softly.

Mark's eyes were closed, he was still asleep. Jeff nodded shyly and blushed as he recalled the torrid events of last night. There was a burn in his nether regions and he winced as he shifted on the bed. It immediately caught Glenn's attention.

"Are you hurting?" Glenn asked with a worried look on his face.

"No, it's really not that bad," Jeff replied in a hushed tone and tried to shift into a more comfortable position without waking Mark.

"Good, because I want to play with you," Glenn grinned and moved his body to cover Jeff who managed to let out a squeak before Glenn crushed their mouths together.

Glenn kissed him hungrily and Jeff felt himself warming to it. He wrapped his arms around Glenn's neck and kissed back just as fervently. Jeff gasped for breath when Glenn finally released his mouth and slowly kissed and nibbled his way down his chin to his neck, along his collar bone to his chest. He bit and laved his way slowly down his abs until he reached the hip bones where he gently caressed them with his fingers before holding them down and nuzzled his face against his pubes, breathing in his intoxicating essence. Jeff moaned and squirmed, trembling with anticipation at what was yet to come.

Without warning, Glenn took Jeff's semi erection into his mouth, swallowing him full to the base. Jeff cried out sharply and arched upwards but Glenn held him down firmly by the hips. He slid his mouth up and down the shaft, enjoying the sweet sounds emitting from his young lover and finally released him with a loud pop.

He smacked his lips delectably and grinned up at the now panting blonde, "Hmm, wanted to taste you since last night!"

He squeezed a generous portion of lube on his palm, which he had kept handy on the bedside table when he had woken up earlier. After lubricating his cock, he smeared the rest over Jeff's pink pucker and proceeded to enter him. Jeff was still a little sore from last night's sessions and he whimpered with pain as Glenn pushed his hard rod into him.

"Shush, it will only hurt for awhile, but I promise it'll get better," Glenn whispered to him as he thrust in and out of his body. Jeff felt great around him, so tight and warm, like an ill-fitted too-tight glove and the feeling was indescribable, it was pure bliss!

He thrust in deep and was overjoyed to see Jeff thrusting his hips back up against him, head thrashing on his pillow and crying out with a needy voice. He was about to wrap his hand around Jeff's cock and bring them both to oblivion when Mark's voice rang out in a low rumble, "Leave his cock for me, pull him down lower."

The Deadman had awakened! It wasn't a wonder with the ruckus they were making. Glenn obliged without detaching himself from Jeff and Mark shifted himself on top of Jeff in a '69' position so that he could take Jeff's cock in his mouth while leaving his hanging over Jeff's mouth.

"Pleasure me with your mouth, Jeff, I'll do likewise for you."

Mark coaxed him to take his cock in his mouth and it wasn't long before both men found their mouths full of cock. Jeff couldn't take Mark all the way but he tried. Being his first time, he gagged when Mark got over enthusiastic and thrust down, almost choking him.

He whined in protest and both Mark and Glenn chuckled with Mark apologizing, "Sorry about that, I forgot you are new at this."

The three of them started to move rhythmically, Jeff and Mark fucking each other with their mouths and Glenn thrusting frantically into Jeff. Jeff found himself being fucked on both ends and his chest heaved with the effort of trying to breathe only through his nose. He was almost on the verge of completion with both men fucking him senselessly through the mattress.

The bed creaked fiercely with their frantic motions and Glenn suddenly let out a strangled cry, "I'm cumming!"

With a growl, he pushed in deep and held still, his body shuddering as he released into Jeff. Mark slid his mouth off Jeff's cock and held off Jeff's impending climax by pinching him hard at the base of his cock.

He quickly disengaged himself when Glenn pulled out and took over his position. Wrapping Jeff's legs around his waist, he pushed his formidable cock into Jeff's sweet core, burying it deep within him and rocked against him, hitting his prostate while stroking him hard and fast with his hand. It didn't take long and Jeff finally cried out his completion, his cum splashing onto his and Mark's bellies. His spasms squeezed Mark's cock mercilessly and it brought him over the edge as well. With a loud grunt, Mark released his load, filling Jeff to overflowing. He could feel it dribbling over his cock as he pulled out. Jeff's hole was wet and sticky, cum slowly dribbling out of it. Glenn leaned down to lick Jeff's cum off his belly, he tasted sweet and tangy, just like lemon drops!

He continued licking his way down to his pucker, enjoying their intermingled tastes while Mark leaned up to kiss Jeff gently on the lips before saying, "You did well, itty bitty!"

Jeff was too worn out to say anything, if it was another time, he would have retorted back. But he liked the two men and their endearing terms for him only showed how closed they had become! He closed his eyes, preparing to go back to sleep but the brothers were having none of that.

"Come on, Jeff, it's time to get up!" Glenn said as he tried to rouse Jeff by tweaking his nose.

Jeff whined and drew the covers over his head. He wanted to sleep in longer!

Glenn turned to Mark for help. Mark chuckled and made his way into the bathroom. He filled the tub with steaming water, not too hot to be uncomfortable, and added some bathing salts. It would help to soothe the aches and burn Jeff should be feeling down there. He went back to the bedroom and gestured quietly to Glenn to carry Jeff into the bathroom.

Glenn grinned as he threw the covers off Jeff, the boy was fast asleep. Glenn picked him up in his arms and Jeff snuggled comfortably against him, his eyes still closed. The three men made their way towards the bathroom and Glenn eased Jeff into the tub. Jeff's eyes shot open in surprise but he immediately relaxed, soothed by the hot water. He sighed blissfully, sinking deeper into the water before turning to smile gratefully at his protectors.

"Lie back and soak for awhile, you must be aching quite badly. I'll go get your bag from Matt and then we can all go for breakfast," Mark said before disappearing from the room.

Glenn grinned at him and asked cheekily, "May I join you?" and without waiting for a reply, he quickly climbed into the tub behind Jeff who shifted down to make room.

"Hmmm, this is nice," Glenn said as he pulled Jeff to lie back comfortably against him.

His hands started to roam his body under the water and Jeff's breaths hitched. The man's libido was insatiable! He shivered deliciously when Glenn caressed his pucker with his fingers. _Oh God, here it goes again! _

~*~

Matt's eyes shot open in surprise when he felt a weight on top of him. Scott grinned from above him, "Hello, did I miss something last night?" and before Matt could say anything, Scott bent to kiss him harshly on the mouth.

Matt struggled and managed to push him off, wrinkling his nose in distaste, "Your breath stinks of alcohol! Go get a mouthwash or something before you come near me!"

Scott looked hurt and Matt suddenly felt sorry for his harsh words. He didn't know what to say so he just muttered, "You shouldn't drink so much. It's really bad for your health."

Scott perked up and grinned at him, "I can hold my drinks well, nothing to worry about."

Matt huffed, "That's what they all say until their livers fail and then?"

Scott wore a bemused look on his face, "What has that got to do with my drinking? My liver's fine as it is!"

Matt's mouth twitched, _Okay, so he's not as bright as he looks!_ He didn't get far with his thoughts as Scott pounced on him again, attacking his neck this time. He was done with talking. His morning wood needed immediate attention!

"Wait! Godamnit, will you just stop for a second!"

Matt panted with his exertions as he tried to push the heavier man off him. The tough training Matt put himself through, however, stood him in good stead as he finally pushed Scott off before rolling off the bed and got on his feet.

"Hey, stop fucking around with me! You're in my room and that means I get to play with you!"

Scott scowled as he got off the bed and approached Matt predator-like, a gleam of determination in his eyes.

Matt's eyes widened before narrowing infuriatingly. _Who the hell does he think he is? Does he expect me to just lay back and let him has his way with me?_

"Let us get something straight right here, buster! I'm not a sex toy that you can just wind up and expect to perform! You've to learn to respect me as a person, I've my pride and dignity and I will not bend over for anyone!"

Matt paused in his tirade and grimaced. _Okay, that really didn't come out right!_

Scott suddenly guffawed with laughter and Matt stared at him, wondering if the man had gone nuts, the alcohol must have really messed up his brains!

Scott finally calmed down, ""Sorry, Matt. I really can't help myself when I woke up and see you in my room. I thought you've made your choice and I was like, well, okay, time to get down and then you started screaming at me like a banshee!"

Matt opened his mouth to protest, "I do not scream like a banshee, I …."

But Scott cut him off abruptly, "Wait, let me finish. I'm apologizing for my bad behavior, I thought you wanted me the way I wanted you, guess I was wrong."

Matt blinked. _Did he just say that he wanted me?_ It was almost at the tip of his tongue to blurt out that he wanted him too but he stopped himself in time. If he was to grant sexual favors in return for any protection rendered, then he must, at least, have a say as to when and how he wanted it. He shouldn't allow himself to be manipulated like a puppet on a string!

Scott turned away from him and went to sit on his bed.

He ran a hand through his curly dark locks and gave Matt a sardonic smile, "Should have known it wouldn't work out. Who would want a drunk as a lover when you can have a dependable guy like Kevin or sensible Sean to choose from?"

Matt felt his heart wrenched at the tone of hurt in his voice. He hesitated before approaching Scott and sat down beside him on the bed.

"Hey, it's not that I don't like you, it's just that it would be nice if you can be more civil with your approach instead of jumping me like that!" Matt explained.

Scott stared at him for a long time and Matt felt his face flushed. _Is he for real?_ Scott thought to himself but he wanted to hear from Matt himself.

"Are you saying that you'll, huh, sleep with me if I behave more gentlemanly instead of like a brute?" Scott asked incredulously.

Matt blushed and fidgeted but he nodded, "Yeah, that's what I'm saying but I don't want to be just your plaything or anyone else's, it would only make me feel like a whore! If you want to make this work, I have, huh, a request."

Matt was thinking of what Mark told him and he wanted to voice it out and see if Scott would go along with it.

"What is it?" Scott asked, curious to know what Matt had in mind.

"If we are to be together, I want our relationship to be exclusive, just like Hunter and Shawn. We don't sleep with anyone else besides each other," Matt said doggedly.

Scott's eyes widened at the implications, he wouldn't be able to join Kevin and Sean in their bedroom romps anymore! Was this what he wanted and was it too big a price to pay?

He hesitated and Matt reiterated, pressing on, "I won't have it any other way! You have to decide who you want to be with, me or Kevin and Sean. I won't share you with them or anybody else, if we're to get this relationship started."

Scott studied Matt's face closely and realized that he was dead serious! The dark-haired beauty before him was not a pushover. He knew his mind and laid down his terms before he would agree to consummate their union. Scott found himself grinning. He liked Matt's spirit and the thought that it might carry over to the bedroom sent a thrill through his body. His eyes roamed down Matt's body, hmm, nice, not too thin and fleshy enough to pinch and bite!

He made up his mind, grinning at Matt, "You have got yourself a deal!"

Matt was stunned momentarily by his acceptance before his eyes lit up and he shook Scott's proffered hand. _I did it!_

Scott got up suddenly and Matt asked, a perplexed look on his face, "Huh, where're you going?"

Scott turned his head as he opened the bathroom door, "To brush my teeth and then rinse my mouth with mouthwash and when I get out …," he deliberately looked Matt up and down suggestively, "you better prepare yourself for the ride of a lifetime!"

He winked at Matt before closing the door behind him. Matt sat there with his mouth gaped open, the realization of what Scott had just said suddenly sank in. He swallowed hard, thinking furiously. _Oh God! What am I suppose to do? _He knew how guys make out with each other but he hadn't the faintest idea how to go about it. And what would be his role? Would he get to top or bottom? _Oh _s_hit, he's coming out!_

The bathroom door opened and Scott sauntered out, a devilish grin on his face. Matt stood frozen on the spot as Scott approached him slowly until he was finally standing before him. He leaned in close to Matt and Matt closed his eyes, shivering with anticipation, waiting for his mouth to be enveloped by those full luscious lips. He blinked in surprise when Scott blew his breath out at him instead.

"My breath smells okay?" Scott asked, wearing an anxious look on his face.

"Wh…what?" Matt asked, looking a mite confused.

"Does my breath still stink?" Scott asked again. He wanted to start the relationship on a good footing, not wanting to offend Matt with bad breath and turn him off!

"Oh… it's fine now," Matt finally replied, smiling weakly up at him. _What was I thinking!_

Both men were suddenly distracted by the creaking of bed springs and the thumping of headboards against the wall. Moans and cries were heard from either side of them. They were coming from Kevin and Sean's room on one side, and Hunter and Shawn's on the other.

"Oh God! Fuck me, Hunt! Yesss….that's it! …ohhh…harder…oh God, please…Fuck!" and Shawn could be heard screaming his release, and then on their other side, "…give it to me baby….harder! ….. ohhh…. yessss….fuck…..ohhh...Kevvy…so biggg… and hard ...aah….Kevvyyy!"

Scott and Matt turned to each other, Scott was panting and his tent up front revealed he was aroused.

Matt gulped and Scott slowly took his hand, "Hey, we'll take this slow. Tell me if I'm wrong but this is your first time, right?"

Matt nodded shyly and Scotty grinned like a Cheshire cat, he would be the first to pop Matt's cherry! He placed Matt's hands around his neck and leaned down to kiss him, tentatively at first before deepening the kiss. He felt him relaxing against him and Matt was now returning his kisses. Their tongues battled for dominance but Scott won and Matt allowed him to move him backwards towards the bed.

Scott quickly removed his boxers to reveal his impressive erection and Matt blushed furiously. Chuckling softly, Scott moved to sit on the bed and scooted to the top.

He crooked a finger at Matt and whispered seductively, "Come here, angel, come sit on my lap."

Matt had butterflies in his stomach but he did as asked. He slid on the bed and crawled his way towards Scott who pulled him in to straddle him.

"Let me help you undress," and he quickly removed Matt's wife beater and boxers. He let out a whistle of appreciation before saying, "You're pretty well hung! I may have just struck the lottery!"

He let out another chuckle when Matt blushed, "Don't be shy, I like big boys! We have to be honest with each other, know each other's fetish so we can give each other the greatest pleasure."

He bent his head to take Matt's nipple in his mouth, making Matt gasped with pleasure as he nibbled and laved gently, alternating them until they were hardened nubs. He ran his fingers lightly down Matt's side before moving them behind to cup his ass.

He squeezed them, delighted to find they were firm, yet squishy, "Hmm, fleshy, just the way I like it!"

Lightly, he caressed Matt's back, sending delicious shivers along his spine. Matt let out a soft moan and it brought a smile to Scott's face. He brought his hands up to cup Matt's face and kissed him tenderly on his pouty lips. The kiss soon became feverish and Matt locked his arms around Scott's neck, lost in the passion. Scott brought his hand down and slid it towards Matt's pucker, causing him to jump and gasp with shock.

"Easy now, I need to prep you, let me get the lube out," saying, Scott pulled open the side drawer and got the tube of lube out. He popped it open and squeezed a generous portion onto his palm, smearing around Matt's pucker, coating it before rubbing the rest along his cock.

"I'm going to push in my finger and stretch you so you can take me without hurting too much, okay?"

When Matt gave a nod of consent, Scott gently pushed a finger in.

Matt gasped before hissing in pain and Scott spoke to him soothingly, "It will hurt initially but it'll get better. I need to breach the ring, so breathe in deeply and let it out slowly while I do it."

Slowly but surely, Scott got his finger in and gently thrust in and out. After a minute or two, he added two more fingers and Matt squeezed his eyes shut, panting softly as Scott stretched him from within. He angled his fingers, searching for his prostate and to his delight, found it when Matt jumped and cried out blissfully. He worked on getting Matt fully ready and aroused and when Matt started to writhe against his fingers, he knew it was time to join with him.

Pulling his fingers out, he kissed Matt on his lips before telling him what to do, "I want you to impale yourself on my cock, it'll hurt less if you're on top and you can control the pace. Ready?"

Matt let out a strangled "Yes" and Scott helped him to lift up, one hand positioning his cockhead at Matt's entrance. Gently, he pushed in and Matt bit his bottom lip to stifle his scream before taking deep breaths as Scott slowly pushed all the way in to his balls and Matt finally rested his full weight on top of Scott.

"Oh God, Scott, it hurts!" Matt panted, his body shuddering with pain.

Scott panted loudly, "Not for long, Matt, I promise it'll be good. Now, you have to move, ride me up and down. Shit! You're so tight, I feel like exploding already!" Matt started to move up and down with Scott holding onto his hips to guide him.

It wasn't long before both men were panting harshly and Matt quickened his pace, with Scott thrusting his hip upwards to meet him, stabbing at his prostate. Matt keened loudly and rode frantically, his breaths coming out harshly. His nerves were so sensitive and he could feel the blood rushing to his groin. Scott grunted, he knew he was almost there and wrapped a hand around Matt's cock to speed him along. Pumping him rhythmically with their thrusts, it didn't take long before Matt climaxed. He cried out and spilled his seed over Scott's belly and thighs, his body shuddering with his release. His spasms contracted around Scott's cock and with a roar, Scott pumped out copiously into Matt's tight passage. Matt slumped against Scott, who held tightly to him.

Scott placed a tender kiss on Matt's forehead and then his lips before saying with a chuckle, "You're amazing, angel!"

Matt beamed at him and said, "You're not too bad yourself, chico!"

Scott snorted with laughter before pinching his cheeks, "You're a cheeky one! Hmm, let us rest here a bit until the others are ready. Knowing them, they'll continue to sleep until noon."

He pulled Matt to lie comfortably against him and sighed happily, it had been a while since he had felt peace like this. He closed his eyes, a look of contentment on his face as he drifted off to sleep.

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………………


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 5

The knocks reverberated across the room and then a deep voice boomed out, "Kev, open up, it's Mark!"

Kevin groaned as he forced himself to sit up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Sean mumbled drowsily, "Who's at the door?"

Kevin sighed before getting to his feet, "It's Mark. I'll get it, you go back to sleep," and with that being said, Sean threw a pillow across his face and went back to sleep.

Kevin dragged his feet towards the door, yawning. He ran a hand across his scratchy chin before unlocking and opening the door.

Mark gave him a lopsided grin, "Did I wake you up?"

Kevin smiled wryly, "Doesn't matter, I'm up now. What is it, Mark?"

"Sorry, but I'm here to get Jeff's stuff. Is Matt here?"

"He's staying next door with Scotty, want me to get him for you?" Kevin asked.

Mark's eyes twinkled. _So, Matt did get together with Scotty! Hmm, wonder how things worked out between them last night. _

He turned his attention back to Kevin, "I don't want to disturb them. Do you think you can just get Jeff's bag for me?"

"Sure thing, hang on a minute."

Kevin left Mark standing at the door and went to the adjoining door. He knocked twice before entering and grinned at the sight before him, not really surprised since he had heard them loud and clear earlier in the morning. Scott was hugging Matt to him and both men were sharing a bed, soundly asleep.

Kevin quietly moved into the room and looked around for Jeff's bag. He spotted it sitting on the floor beside Matt's bed. Picking it up, he left just as quietly and closed the door behind him. Walking across the room, he went to the door and passed the bag to Mark who thanked him.

Kevin grinned before informing Mark in a conspiratorial tone, "Scotty got himself some action this morning! He was dead to the world last night though."

Mark grinned and said, "Glad to know they finally got together! I was kind of expecting it to happen seeing how those two were checking each other out!"

Both men chuckled and Kevin asked teasingly, "So, how did things work out for you and Glenn with the pretty Hardy?"

Mark suddenly looked aloof and simply said, "Good," and then changed the subject.

"You want to meet us for breakfast? We'll be heading down once Jeff gets his change of clothing."

Trust Mark to remain placid, he would never let others know what was on his mind. And Glenn was no different. Of the two, Mark was more calm and collected whilst Glenn was known to have an explosive temper.

"I don't think so. None of them has stirred yet and Sean had gone back to sleep. We'll see you later for lunch though," Kevin said.

"Later then," Mark gave him a nod before turning to head back to the elevator. He passed by Hunter and Shawn's room and heard moaning coming from within. In just a fleeting moment, a flicker of hurt appeared on his face and then it was gone. He didn't stop in his stride and continued his way.

He took the elevator to his floor and walked briskly to his room. Upon entering, he heard the sound of splashing water and then Jeff's soft cries coming from the bathroom. He broke into a grin. Shaking his head in resignation, he opened the bathroom door and leaned casually against the door frame as he watched Glenn hold Jeff tightly against him, grunting with each frantic upward thrust. His other hand was pumping Jeff who was thrashing in the water which explained the splashing sounds he heard. Jeff's breath suddenly hitched and he released with a sharp cry. Glenn thrust up once before stilling his body and followed immediately with a growl. Jeff mewled weakly as he leaned backwards against Glenn who started to kiss him softly all over his face. Glenn suddenly noticed Mark standing at the door and greeted him with a wide grin.

"You have to let him rest Glenn. Just look at him, he's totally worn out!" Mark reprimanded him as he moved forward to check on their little one. Jeff opened his dark emerald eyes and gave him a weary smile.

Mark smiled down fondly at him, "You must learn to say no to Glenn, he can be so demanding at times!"

"Hey, don't give him any ideas!" Glenn protested as he splashed water at Mark to deter him from planting any more such ideas in Jeff's head. He totally loved it when little Jeffrey succumbed to him so sweetly and willingly!

Mark chuckled and got to his feet, helping Jeff out of the tub, "Let us get you out of here, I've brought your bag over so you can get changed. I'll just grab a quick shower before we head down for breakfast."

He wrapped a large towel around Jeff, drying him briskly. Glenn was half-way out when a thought came into his head.

He threw Mark a wicked look and asked suggestively, "Want us to join you?" to which Mark snapped the wet towel at his ass, making him yelp. Jeff giggled and hid behind Mark when Glenn put on a pretense look of anger and gave him the evil eye.

"Quit it already! Can't you see he's sore? Now, both of you, out! I need some quiet time! You keep your hands to yourself out there Glenn, and Jeff, if he tries anything funny, hit him with the table lamp!"

Mark pushed them out before locking the bathroom door. He sighed and started stripping down, he wasn't sure anymore if Jeff was the baby in the group!

While Mark was taking his shower, Jeff started to rummage through his bag and pulling out clothes, searching for something to wear. He couldn't decide. _Hmm, what should I wear?_ He went through everything but was still unsure what to put on. _Should I wear the blue jeans with the white shirt? Maybe I should go with the green shirt and white Bermudas. No, I think the yellow top would look nicer with the white bottom. Oh God, I can't decide! _He started to throw the clothes all over the bed, trying to mix and match.

Glenn had already dressed and was studying him, an amused smile on his face. He finally realized what Matt meant when he said to give Jeff at least a couple of hours to get ready. After a couple more minutes and Jeff was still nowhere dressed, Glenn got up and walked towards the pile of clothes on the other side of the bed.

He picked out the green top and white bottom and handed them to Jeff, "Wear these Jeff, the top matches your eyes, you look beautiful anyway in anything!"

Jeff blushed prettily and took the clothes from him, mumbling a shy thank you for the compliment. He turned discreetly away from Glenn before removing the towel to pull on his boxers and clothes. Glenn was charmed that Jeff was still shy around him even after they had shared intimate moments together. He found himself totally smitten with him already!

The bathroom door opened and Mark came out, a towel wrapped around his waist. He quickly dressed himself and was about to suggest that they headed on down when Jeff removed his hairbrush from his bag and armed with an assortment of hair bands and bandannas, made his way towards the bathroom.

"Jeff, aren't you ready yet?" Mark asked, wearing a frown on his face.

Jeff turned his head to smile sweetly at him, "In a moment, I just need to blow dry my hair a bit, the ends are wet."

Glenn snickered at that and Mark let out a sigh of exasperation. When was the last time he had to wait out for a guy to blow dry his hair? He felt a twinge of hurt, realizing that it wasn't that long ago actually. His thoughts were brought to the present when he heard the hair dryer going off in the bathroom.

He and Glenn resigned themselves to wait and sat down on the bed. Mark studied the pile of clothes left on his side of the bed and shook his head. He really needed to talk to Jeff about keeping things in order. The hair dryer stopped and the two men sighed with relief, Jeff really didn't take that long!

After five minutes, Jeff came out, wearing a blue hair band. He held out three bandannas and asked innocently, "I can't decide which of these I should put on. What do you think?"

Glenn's shoulders started to quake, he was trying really hard not to laugh out loud, seeing that Mark was on the verge of tearing his hair out in frustration!

Mark calmed himself down and pointed to the yellow and black patterned bandanna since it went nicely with his blonde hair and the green and white clothes Jeff had on.

"This one, Jeff and please hurry up!" Mark said with a tinge of impatience in his voice.

"Okay then, just give me a minute, I just have to change to the green hair band, the blue doesn't blend with what you have chosen."

That did it! Mark got up and removed the bandannas from his hands and threw them on the bed, "You look good as you are now, so lets just go!"

Gently but firmly, he pushed Jeff towards the door despite his protests, Glenn locking behind them. They were finally on their way to getting some breakfast!

As they entered the restaurant, a voice called out, "Hey Jeff! Over here!"

Jeff looked over and saw Adam beckoning to him, with Jay sitting beside him. He smiled in acknowledgement before turning to his protectors, "Can we sit with Adam and Jay?"

Mark nodded and Jeff quickly made his way towards them, the brothers following closely behind. Glenn wasn't too happy about joining them. He had nothing against Adam and Jay but he had just spotted Chris walking towards them from the buffet table. Now Chris was a different story, he had seen him eyeing Jeff hungrily at their first meeting. Jealousy rose in Glenn when Chris looked over to them and grinned widely when he saw Jeff.

"I thought we would be the only ones to come down for breaky," Adam grinned and then looked behind them, "Where's Matt?"

Jeff's cheerfulness was suddenly dampened.

"He's staying with the Kliq," he informed them, a crestfallen look on his face.

Adam and Jay looked surprised but Chris looked on and remained silent.

"But why is that? I thought he would want to stay with you!" Adam asked, wearing a perplexed look on his face.

Jeff hesitated to reply. He didn't want to go into details, seeing that Mark and Glenn were with him and there was also Chris to consider. He didn't know him that well to speak openly in front of him.

He was wondering what to say when Glenn interposed, "Matt is now under the Kliq's protection and Jeff is under **our** protection," making sure to emphasize the latter while staring hard at Chris.

Adam and Jay looked at each other uneasily before Adam asked hesitatingly, "Did something happen yesterday after we left?"

They had to leave earlier due to a prior engagement and hadn't heard about the altercation as yet.

"Bradshaw, Raven and some of their friends cornered Jeff but Hunter and Shawn stopped them from carrying things too far. We came just in time to join in the fray as Hunt and Shawn were outnumbered," Glenn explained.

"And then?" Adam prompted, he knew about the protection groups but the three Canadians had bonded and didn't see the need to join any since no one bothered them.

Mark took up from where Glenn left off, "To ensure that it doesn't happen again, the Hardys decided to join the protection groups, Matt opted to join the Kliq while Jeff here joined us."

"Oh…" Adam and Jay looked at each other, they heard about the 'payment' for these services. Did Matt and Jeff really submit themselves to these groups? Their curiosity was piqued and they wanted to ask Jeff but not before the devastating Brothers of Destruction. Who knew, they might not take well to their probing! They decided to wait till they got to talk to Jeff alone.

Chris kept his eyes on Jeff during the whole exchange. He was surprised to hear that Jeff was now officially under the formidable brothers' protection. He knew what it meant and he didn't like it one bit! If he had known earlier, he would have offered to take Jeff under his wing. Jeff was now beyond his reach! Wait, maybe not, he could still be with Jeff! The wheels in Chris' mind started turning and he grinned to himself and then he saw Glenn glaring at him and his face dropped. Okay his plan might not work, with Glenn being so hostile towards him.

Tension hung in the air at their table as they ate quietly. Chris didn't have a ghost of a chance to get near enough to Jeff to talk to him. Jeff was seated between Mark and Glenn, munching on his crispy cereal and remained oblivious to the hostility between Glenn and Chris. Mark kept a straight face but he was highly amused at the way Glenn kept cutting Chris in mid speech whenever he tried to start a conversation with Jeff across the table. Frustrated by Glenn's interruptions, Chris finally gave up and sullenly ate his breakfast in silence.

As they were half-way through their meal, Raven and Rhyno entered the restaurant and sat down two tables away from them. Raven smirked at Jeff who shifted uncomfortably in his seat and started playing with his food. He had suddenly lost his appetite. Glenn and Mark noticed and turned their heads to glare at the source of his agitation. Raven got up from his seat and walked casually over to their table.

Glenn got up to face him and hissed, "What do you want?"

Raven ignored him, he removed the book tucked under his arm and placed it on the table in front of Jeff, "I think this belongs to you, I thought you might want it back."

Without another word, he turned and went back to his table. A smile broke up on Jeff's face as he grabbed his journal and hugged it towards him. There were so many cherished memories in that little book and he was glad to have it back! He started to flip through them as Glenn sat back down to resume eating. Suddenly, Jeff gasped and the book fell from his grasp. He was trembling visibly and Mark was alarmed, "What's wrong Jeff?"

Jeff gulped audibly and shook his head. He turned his head slightly to Raven who puckered his lips and blew him a kiss before breaking into laughter with Rhyno joining him. Jeff looked flustered and was about to bend down to pick up the book when Mark's hand reached down before him. He picked up the book and gave Jeff a questioning look. Jeff found it difficult to meet his eyes.

"May I?" Mark asked politely and Jeff hesitated before giving him a slight nod of assent. Mark flipped open the book. There were scribbles and sketches and Mark found himself reading some of the short poems. He smiled, there was no doubt about it, the boy definitely has an artistic flair! Mark flipped through the pages, browsing through them when he suddenly stopped short at a page. A very graphic picture of two men having intercourse was drawn. On studying it closer, Mark realized that the bottom guy was drawn to look like Jeff, his hands were pinned down and his face was contorted with pain. The man on top wore braids and he looked just like Raven! His head was thrown back, mouth wide opened and he wore an ecstatic look on his face! Mark's rage was further fueled when he read the accompanying line below the picture, "I'm going to fuck you and make you my bitch, just you wait!" and he signed off below, "Quote the Raven … Nevermore!"

His throat rumbled with anger and everyone looked up at him in surprise.

"What is it?" Glenn asked quietly.

Before Mark could show him the picture, Jeff snatched the book from his hands and shook his head emphatically, "No! It … it's okay, Mark, there's no harm done."

His voice quavered and Mark decided not to press the issue and aggravate the situation. He would take care of business when Jeff wasn't around.

A few minutes later, Bradshaw, Kanyon and Albert (A-train) appeared and joined Raven and Rhyno at their table. They conversed in low whispers before laughing out loudly, eyes glancing occasionally at Jeff who wished he could just disappear into the ground!

Noting Jeff's discomfiture, Mark decided to leave. He nodded to their Canadian counterparts before getting up. On second thoughts, he took the bowl of unfinished cereal that Jeff had left behind. He started to make his way towards the entrance, followed by Jeff and Glenn. As he passed Raven, he dumped the contents of the bowl on his head and the man got up, spluttering with rage. His cohort got up to their feet to face them.

Ignoring them, Mark leaned forward to speak within Raven's hearing, "If you try something like that again, I'll make you wish you were never born!"

He glared at the others, challenging them to interfere in his affairs but none stepped forward. Without a word, he turned on his heels and putting a hand on the small of Jeff's back, guided him out. Glenn sneered at them before following his brother and Jeff outside.

They headed towards their room and as soon as the door closed, Mark turned Jeff towards him, "I need you to listen very carefully, Jeff. From here onwards, if anyone tries a funny move on you or even look at you the wrong way, you let us know. I don't want you hiding anything from us because you'll only be putting yourself in danger. Do you understand?"

Jeff nodded before wrapping his arms around Mark, resting his head on his chest, "I'm sorry for keeping the drawing from you, I just didn't want any trouble."

Mark sighed, hugging him tight, "I know, but Raven is not giving you a choice on the matter. He seems intent on getting his hands on you so you have to be on your guard at all times! And remember, never to go anywhere alone by yourself!"

He gave Jeff a gentle squeeze before releasing him and Glenn immediately demanded to see the drawing, "Show me what he drew!"

Jeff handed over his journal to Glenn, somewhat reluctantly. He waited with bated breath while Glenn flipped to the last recorded page and cringed when Glenn roared with anger, "He's not going to get away with this!"

"No, he won't!" Mark said firmly, "But we'll fix him, just not at a public place! There were too many people at the restaurant!"

There was a knock on the door and Glenn moved to answer it.

"Hi Glenn, is Jeff in?"

"Matty!" Jeff heard his brother's voice and Glenn moved quickly aside before Jeff jumped into his brother's arms.

Matt laughed and hugged his brother in a tight embrace, "God, I miss you!"

"I miss you too!" Jeff said in a querulous tone. He wanted to tell Matt about Raven but then he saw Scott.

"Hi," he said in a bashful tone and Scott smiled warmly at him.

"Hiya, kiddo, did the devastating duo hurt you?" he asked, arching his eyebrows suggestively and received glares from Mark and Glenn.

"Scotty!" Matt scolded when Jeff blushed and hid his face on his chest, trying to evade Scott's knowing look.

Matt reached out behind and took the giant bag of skittles from Scott. Jeff let out a squeal of delight when Matt handed him a small packet from within the giant pack, "Here, I thought I might as well bring them over since Mark has already collected your bag."

Jeff planted a wet kiss on his brother's cheek, gushing, "Thank you, Matty! I love you!"

Matt grinned before passing the giant pack to Glenn, "Lock it in your bag or be prepared to face the consequences! A hyper Jeff is not something you want to deal with!"

Glenn went to do just that as Jeff tore open the packet of skittles and started to shove them one by one into his mouth, chewing quickly.

Matt ruffled his hair before saying, "I guess we'll see you guys later for lunch. The others are waiting for us downstairs."

Mark nodded and Jeff whined softly, "But you just got here!" He wrapped his arms around Matt, unwilling to let him go.

Matt rubbed his back and kissed him on the forehead, speaking gently, "I promise we'll see each other later, behave, alright?"

Jeff nodded and let him go and Glenn pulled him in to lean against him, "It's okay, Jeff. We'll meet up with your brother and the Kliq later for lunch."

"Okay, we'll see you then," Matt and Scott turned to leave and bumped into Chris, Adam and Jay who were just coming from behind.

They greeted each other but Scott was anxious to leave, "Lets get going, Kev and the others are waiting for us."

Bidding everyone farewell, Matt and Scott headed down to meet the other members.

Glenn was about to close the door when Chris called out, "Hold it! Can I talk to you guys?"

Glenn opened his mouth to say no but Mark spoke up, "Come in, then."

The Canadians walked in and Glenn closed the door with a bit too much force before putting a possessive arm around Jeff's shoulders. Chris swore that he could almost feel the heat emitting from Glenn. He decided not to aggravate him and spoke to Mark instead.

"We saw what happened downstairs and we would like to help. There are only three of you so I was thinking that if all of us could band together, then Bradshaw and his guys would think twice before causing any trouble."

Glenn simmered, knowing what Chris was up to! He wanted to throttle the man!

Mark remained calm and arched his eyebrow at Chris, "Are you saying that we **cannot** deal with Bradshaw and his gang by ourselves?"

Adam and Jay glanced at each other with unease, but Chris spoke up quickly, "No, I didn't mean it that way. I thought that if you recruit more members, then you'll be a force to reckon with! You know what they say, greater in numbers!"

Glenn snorted before saying, "We don't need any more members and I think you have an ulterior motive, I think you just want to get your hands on our Jeff!"

He released a dumbfounded Jeff and took a threatening step towards them.

Adam put up his hands to placate him, "Hey, keep us out of this, Chris is the one who wants to join your group!"

He turned back to Chris, "Sorry, Chris, but you're alone on this. We don't want to get involved! See you later. Lets go Jay!"

The two men showed themselves out, not wanting to get caught in the volatile situation.

Chris fidgeted uneasily as Glenn looked daggers at him.

"So, you really want to join us, huh?" Mark asked in his quiet manner and Chris nodded his head, "More than anything!"

Glenn's eyes blazed, "I don't believe him! He just wants to get close to Jeff and steal him from us!"

Chris protested, "That's not true! In any case, I'm not leaving until you agree to let me in!"

He folded his arms across his chest, determined to have his way.

Mark stared at him for several seconds before saying, "You can join us on one condition," and Glenn started to voice his protests, "No! I will not agree to this!"

But Mark raised a hand to curb his protests, "Let me finish. As I was saying, you only need to satisfy one stipulation and you're in!"

Chris raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "And what is that?"

A sinister smile came over Mark's face, "Double penetration from Glenn and me!"

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………………….


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 6

Raven stomped into his dressing room, the others following him close behind. He slammed his fists against the lockers before turning around to face his associates, the rage clearly visible on his face.

"I'm going to take that fucker out, if that's the last thing I do!" he vented, pacing furiously. "Who the fuck does he think he is? Just because he's the top dog doesn't give him the right to embarrass me in front of everyone!"

Bradshaw tried to placate him, "Calm down man. I know you're upset but did you actually expect them to sit back when you sent that drawing and message to their protégé?"

Raven's anger suddenly left him, taken aback by the news. "What?" he asked in surprise.

"Haven't you heard? That pretty boy is now under their protection," Bradshaw informed him before sitting himself down on the bench. "If I were you, I wouldn't mess with those two! Just leave the kid alone and you may just get to live that much longer!"

Raven's face twisted with anger before barking out, "That's easy for you to say, that motherfucker embarrassed ME, not YOU, in front of everyone!"

Rhyno was deep in thought. He spoke up after a moment of silence, "It's too dangerous to attempt to take out Taker and Kane. They might just turn the situation around and bite us in the ass! I wouldn't want to tango with those two! But, on the other hand," he added, smirking, "we can do something about their protégé, he's too damn cute to resist!" His lips curled into a sneer as he said, "I would like to have a go at that tight ass!"

To his shock and astonishment, Rhyno found himself thrust back against the lockers, the hold around his throat tightened considerably as Raven spoke between bared teeth, "That boy is mine! Touch him and you're dead! You hear me?"

Gasping for air, Rhyno nodded and Raven released his hold. He glared at the rest, "And the same goes for the rest of you! Jeff is mine! No one touches him but me!"

Albert took a step forward to challenge his authority but Bradshaw shook his head, gesturing for him to step back. The last thing he wanted was for his associates to fall out with each other. They had to stay united to stay strong, but a warning was in order.

Bradshaw stood up and approached Raven, poking a finger at his chest, "Don't forget your place, boy! Since when did you become the leader of this group? I'm not going to let you fuck things up for the rest of us just because you can't think straight! If you want to antagonize Taker and Kane, go ahead, but you have to face the consequences on your own! Don't say I didn't warn you!"

He gestured to Albert and Rhyno to follow and they left the room without another word, leaving Raven to his own thoughts. Raven suddenly realized that he might have pushed his friends to the limit with his inconsiderate actions. He sighed, running a hand through his braided hair and grimaced. He really needed a shower to rid the sticky remnants left on his head.

Moving towards his locker, he grabbed a towel and a change of clothes before heading to the shower room. First things first, after he had showered, he would buy Rhyno and Albert a few rounds of drinks to mend their ties. He needed their help to get back at Taker, Bradshaw really didn't need to know what he had in mind.

As Raven stepped into the shower after stripping down, he couldn't help thinking about the green-eyed blonde. _His name is Jeffrey, hmm, a pretty name befitting his pretty looks!_ _His poems are so heartfelt, he must have a sensitive soul! And boy, can he draw!_ He sighed. _Damn, if only I had gotten to him before Hunter and Shawn interfered, he could well be in my bed right now!_

Raven recollected the touch of that smooth skin against his, the soft velvety touch of those sultry lips as he crushed them against his own. Jeff had tasted so sweet, his taste was intoxicating! He started imagining having those lips wrapped around his cock and he found himself hardening at that thought. Closing his eyes, Raven visualized Jeff's mouth moving up and down his dick and sucking him to oblivion. He started to breathe heavily and moved a hand down to touch himself before wrapping it around his cock. Pumping his cock, he thrust into his hand as he imagined himself pushing his hard rod deep into the hot and tight sheath of Jeff's body, his long and slim legs locked tightly around his waist. He could see himself laving attention on the pale long neck of his as his hands roamed that lithe body, making him mewl and whimper with his touches. Raven groaned as he pumped furiously, thrusting frantically. It didn't take long before he released with a strangled cry. Leaning against the tiled wall, he rested till he caught his breath before moving under the running water to cleanse himself.

He let out a deep sigh as the water ran over his face and down his body, if only it was real! He frowned suddenly, why was he so taken in with the boy? He hadn't been able to get him out of his head since he first saw him. He started to wonder what Jeff could be doing and thinking of the pretty blonde in Taker and Kane's bed made him snarl at the thought. Why were they so interested in Jeff? They had not shown any interest in anybody else until he came along. Raven swore that he would get to the bottom of it and then he would find a way to get Jeff away from them. No one else could have him!

~*~

"Hey guys! It's nice to see someone else here for a change, besides us!"

Hunter grinned as Adam and Jay entered the gym. He and Shawn had opted to skip breakfast. They would go for an early lunch later instead. Kevin had told them about the plan to meet Mark, Glenn and Jeff later for lunch and Hunter thought it would be best if he and Shawn didn't join them. It would just be too awkward, like the night before when they had to sit at separate tables at the club to avoid a confrontation.

Hunter was helping Shawn out as he bench-pressed 20. Shawn sat up with a grin after latching the barbells onto the catch.

"Glad to have you joining us! Where's Chris?" Shawn asked, a little surprised that Chris wasn't with them. Their Canadian counterparts always hanged out together.

Adam shook his head, "Don't ask, I'll be surprised if he even makes it out alive!"

Before Hunter and Shawn could ask what he meant, Matt walked in with the remaining Kliq members.

"Hi guys!" Matt called out as he approached them, a huge smile on his face.

Adam and Jay grinned at him and Jay said, "Hey yourself! We met Jeff earlier at breakfast and he told us that you're now staying with the Kliq. What's going on?"

Matt looked flushed, unprepared to response to that question, but Scott came to his rescue, calling out to him, "Matt, I need some help here. Can you spot me?"

"Sure, just give me a minute," Matt said as he turned back to Adam and Jay, "Join us for lunch, we can talk then. Jeffro, Mark and Glenn will be there as well."

"I'm not sure we'll be welcomed," Adam said uneasily. After Chris' proposition that nearly got them all killed, he doubted that Mark and Glenn would be pleased to see them again.

"Come on guys, it has been awhile since we all got together! We have so much catching up to do! Just say you'll come!" Matt pleaded.

Jay turned to Adam and said determinedly, "Damn the consequences! I'm going and no one, not even Death, can stop me from seeing my friends!"

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand clapped him on his shoulder. His heart beating a mile a minute, he turned and let out a sigh of relief when he realized it was only Shawn. For a moment there, he thought Taker and Kane had come for them! Damn his jittering nerves! No, damn Chris for putting them in harm's way!

"What are you guys yammering about? What is this talk I hear about Death? Is something wrong?" Shawn asked. His curiosity piqued.

Before Adam or Jay could answer him, Scott interrupted them, "Angelface, you're neglecting me!" he complained as he stopped in front of Matt, a pout on his face.

Matt blushed at the term of endearment in front of his friends while Adam and Jay's mouths fell open in astonishment.

It took a while before Adam finally found his voice, "Angelface?" he echoed to no one in particular.

Scott was fed up with waiting and pulled his raven-hair lover away, "Come on!" he said as he pushed Matt gently along, "I want to tone up this magnificent body so you can lust after me some more!"

Jay and Adam came out of their daze and snickered before Jay made a gagging motion. Both then chortled with laughter, it was the corniest thing they had ever heard!

Shawn grinned and punched Jay friendly on his arm, "Stop teasing them! Now, tell me what's going on?" he asked earnestly, eager to hear the latest gossip.

Adam spilled the beans as to how Chris had taken a fancy to Jeff and in attempting to get close to him, had propositioned to join the Brothers of Destruction. He told Shawn about the rivalry between Glenn and Chris for Jeff's affections and how they had just left Chris to face the deadly duo on his own. The situation didn't look good for Chris at the time they left, he informed Shawn.

Adam was feeling slightly guilty about turning his back on Chris. But hey, the guy didn't even warn them beforehand what he intended to do! It wasn't their fault that they wanted to carry on living! Dying in the Taker and Kane's hands was not something he wanted to happen any time soon!

Hunter, Kevin and Sean had moved to join them and listened with rapt attention when Adam unfolded his tale. They immediately broke down with laughter once he had finished.

"Oh God, I think Chris just screwed himself big time! He's never going to get out of that situation unscathed!" Kevin roared, slapping his thigh with amusement.

Tears leaked from Hunter's eyes as he wheezed with laugher, "I bet you Mark and Glenn will break him in half for even attempting to steal their pretty boy! He must have a death wish!"

And just as he said that, Chris Jericho walked in. His eyes searched the room until they landed on Adam and Jay. He strode briskly towards them, ignoring the others but his demeanor showed that he was majorly displeased.

He pushed both Adam and Jay back with his hands, yelling at them, "What the hell! I thought you would stick by me but you left me high and dry!" He looked pissed as hell!

Adam retorted as he pushed Chris back, "What's your problem? You didn't even warn us of your real intention and you got us into Taker and Kane's bad books! You should be thankful that you're even standing here right now!"

Jay looked Chris in the eye and spoke quietly, "You're a selfish bastard! If we had known that earlier, we wouldn't even want to be friends with you! Lets get out of here Adam!"

Adam shook his head despondently before following Jay out without a backward glance. Chris stayed silent and unmoving, his head bent down in shame. In the disquiet silence, the others went back to their training but Shawn approached him tentatively.

"You're alright?" Shawn asked softly as he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder but Chris shrugged it off.

"Leave me alone!" Chris hissed before turning on his heels and fled the room. The Kliq members quietly watched him leave.

There was a momentary lapse of silence before Sean spoke up, "I think someone should go after him, you know, to make sure that he's alright."

Everyone looked at one another and then Matt got up from the bench, "I'll go."

Scott sighed before standing to join his lover, "Let us get to it then."

But Matt shook his head, "No, let me talk to him alone, he may be more receptive if it is just me."

"No, I don't want you exposed to any danger! I'll go with you but you can talk to Chris alone," Scott said firmly.

"Stay safe!" Kevin yelled after his two members as they left hurriedly to catch up with Chris.

The four members resumed their training. Shawn was unusually quiet. Hunter put down his weights and went to sit next to him.

"What's wrong Goldie?" he asked Shawn.

Shawn shook his head, "Just thinking about what Adam said."

He gave a crooked smile as he added, "Chris must be genuinely serious about Jeff if he was prepared to go to the extent of joining the Brothers of Destruction just to get close to him. Glenn is besotted with Jeff right from the beginning and he doesn't want Chris anywhere near his love interest. From Chris' reaction, I guess his offer has been rejected and to make things worse, he has just lost his two good friends." Shawn sighed, "I actually feel bad for him!"

Hunter hugged him close to him, "Don't worry, these things always have a way of working themselves out. Chris will be fine, Adam and Jay will forgive him and they'll get back together again. But," his eyes twinkled merrily, "I'm really curious how Chris got out safely from that situation! You know Mark and Glenn are not very forgiving by nature."

Shawn lowered his eyes at that remark and Hunter cursed himself inwardly for bringing up the past. Fortunately, Kevin and Sean were done for the day and came forward to join them.

"You guys done yet? Want to hit the sauna?" Kevin asked even as Sean was distracting him by tracing imaginary circles on his well-toned abs with his fingers. They were teasingly moving southwards. Kevin looked down at his small lover and growled lustfully, "I will not be held responsible for your physical well-being if you keep that up!"

Sean gave him a heated come-hither look, "Ooh ….so dominating! I love it when you take charge, big boy! Let us see how physically dominating you can get! Shall we adjourn to the sauna room?" he winked seductively at his huge lover before disappearing.

Kevin grinned and licked his lips before hurrying after him out the door. He ducked his head back in to inform Hunter and Shawn, "See you guys later and stay safe!" and disappeared from view.

Left on their own, Hunter pulled Shawn into his arms, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned you know who. You're okay?"

Shawn nodded and nuzzled against Hunter's chest, "Yeah, no harm done."

He pulled slightly apart to smirk at Hunter, "Shall we join the guys in the sauna?"

Hunter grinned as he picked Shawn up in his arms, "I was hoping you would say that!"

~*~

"Chris! Wait up!" Matt called after him as Scott followed closely behind.

Chris stopped to turn around with a look of puzzlement on his face. What did Jeff's older brother want with him?

He waited for Matt and Scott to catch up before asking, "What is it?"

Matt was relieved to see that Chris was not shutting him out.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

Chris stared at him and then glanced briefly at Scott, looking uncertain.

Matt turned to Scott, "I would like to talk to Chris alone, Scotty."

Scott nodded, "Tell me where you'll be and I will come get you later."

Matt looked at Chris who said, "Room 825" and Matt added, "Give us half an hour."

Scott followed them until they reached Chris' room and took the elevator down to wait for Matt.

Chris looked awkwardly at Matt who came directly to the point, "What happened when you went to see Mark and Glenn?"

"Adam and Jay told you?" Chris asked, horrified that everyone knew what he did.

When Matt nodded, Chris groaned before asking anxiously, "Who else knows?"

"Only the Kliq, they won't say anything," Matt assured him.

Chris clutched his hair in exasperation, "Damn it, now I'll be the laughing stock in the locker room! You don't know Hunter, he just can't keep secrets!" Chris said, bemoaning his fate as he paced restlessly.

"He'll keep this one! I'll talk to the Kliq when I get back, okay?"

Chris stopped his pacing to stare at Matt, "Why are you so nice to me?" he finally asked.

"I'm nice to everyone and anyways, I've got nothing against you," Matt stated simply.

Chris found himself smiling at Matt, "It figures, seeing that you and Jeff are country boys, not that there's anything wrong with that!" he was quick to add when Matt opened his mouth, about to voice his protest on his discrimination.

Matt's eyes twinkled with amusement and Chris found himself warming to him. He finally let out a deep sigh before moving to sit on the bed. Even though he, Adam and Jay had bonded from the first day they had met, he preferred to room on his own. He was a very private person. Matt took a chair and seated himself, facing Chris and waited for him to speak.

"Well, you know that I like your brother, right?" and Matt nodded with a smile. Chris was that obvious when he first laid eyes on his baby brother.

"I wanted to get to know him better and then I found out that Mark and Glenn took him under their wings and," Chris looked embarrassed as he said, "I thought if I join their group, I would just be that one step closer to being with your brother."

"Didn't anyone tell you that Mark and Glenn do not take in members, that is, until Jeff came along?" Matt said.

"I heard but I was desperate! It was worth a shot though," Chris said with a sigh.

He was embarrassed enough and he was unwilling to share with Matt that he would have been accepted into the group if he had agreed to Mark's stipulation. There was no way he could have escaped their punishment, knowing that Glenn was itching to make him suffer since he considered him a rival for Jeff's affections. He was desperate but he wasn't stupid to play into their hands! They would have torn him apart and crippled him for life!

"So, how did you manage to get away? Everyone thought you won't make it out alive, knowing that Glenn would take exception to you trying to steal Jeff from him!"

"I almost didn't! Mark told me to get out after warning me that he and Glenn would not be so merciful the next time."

Matt couldn't help chuckling, "Sorry, but you should thank your guardian angel that Mark was there. I doubt you would get away unhurt if you were dealing with Glenn instead! In spite of your differences with them, I'm glad that they're looking after my brother. They can keep Jeff safe and protected!"

Chris huffed, "Jeff doesn't need them, I can keep him safe as well!"

Matt frowned before saying, "I don't think you understand the problems Jeff has been facing. I'm sure you know what Raven did yesterday. He seems adamant to get his hands on Jeff and I trust Mark and Glenn to protect him. Can you protect Jeff from Raven and his goons?"

For the first time, Chris looked uncertain. He knew better than to brush aside Raven and his associates, they were a force to be reckoned with! And he was alone now, he had no backup. He reluctantly admitted to himself that he was incapable of protecting Jeff if trouble brewed.

"Okay, maybe you're right. I can't protect Jeff better than those two but that doesn't mean that I can't be friends with Jeff, right?" Chris said in his stubborn, mulish way.

Matt cracked a smile, "You can still befriend Jeff but no funny moves or Glenn and Mark will take your head off!"

Chris shuddered at the thought, "Don't say such things! You might jinx me and they would just take my head off just for the fun of it!"

Matt laughed and Chris joined him after a while. Both men found themselves falling into an easy friendship.

"I'll talk to Mark and Glenn about you just befriending Jeff and," as an afterthought, Matt added, "I'll also have a word with Adam and Jay. They'll understand why you did what you did."

He glanced at his watch and got up to leave, "I better get going, Scotty should be here soon," and speaking of the Devil, they heard knocking at the door.

Chris hesitated before giving Matt a brotherly hug, "Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it."

Matt gave him a reassuring smile as he returned his hug, "It will be okay, I'll call you once I've talked to everyone. Stay safe!"

Chris walked Matt to the door and opened it to reveal an impatient Scott.

"What took you so long? Kev and the others are in the sauna. There's still time to join them, come on!" he urged Matt along who bade Chris a hasty goodbye.

~*~

Mark had a faraway look in his eyes as he lay back on his bed, a hand tucked behind his head. Jeff was lying beside him, soundly asleep, with Glenn on the other side of him. They had started watching a movie on television but Jeff fell asleep halfway and Mark and Glenn got distracted by their own thoughts.

Mark was thinking about his ex-lover and Glenn, already bored by the movie, started to get touchy feely with Jeff. His hand roamed Jeff's sleeping body and he moaned softly in his sleep, bringing a delightful smile to Glenn's face and waking Mark from his reverie.

Mark turned to his brother and whispered, not wanting to wake Jeff up, "Will you stop that? You have tired him out, let him rest!"

Glenn pulled his hand back and pouted, "I won't wake him! You're no fun, Mark!"

Mark sighed heavily, "Yeah, I know, you don't have to tell me."

Glenn looked sorry and apologized, "Hey, I didn't mean it like that, bro!"

Mark gave him a small smile, "I know, don't worry about me."

Glenn hesitated before asking, "Have you talked to him yet?"

Mark shook his head slowly, "No, I don't intend to."

Glenn sighed, "Come on, Mark. You've to let it go and move on. Don't keep it all bottled inside you. You'll feel better if you could just talk to him."

"Can we drop the subject? I don't want to talk about it," Mark said before turning his attention to the movie.

"Mark?"

"Yes?" Mark asked without taking his eyes off the television screen.

"Jeff looks quite a lot like him, doesn't he?" Glenn finally said what had been on his mind all the while and waited for his brother's reaction.

Mark turned his head to contemplate the sleeping beauty and couldn't keep back the smile already forming on his face.

"Yes, he does," he fully agreed, the smile now reaching his eyes as he gazed fondly at Jeff.

Glenn grinned. He was glad to see that Mark had taken to Jeff well. He was initially worried that Mark would turn from Jeff, seeing that he looked a lot like Shawn. It would have been too painful a reminder but it seemed his worries were unfounded!

Glenn said, "If they were to stand side by side, they could pass off as brothers! Their in-ring moves are quite similar as well."

Mark turned his head to face Glenn, "Okay, I got it. Jeff and Shawn are alike, happy?"

Glenn beamed at him, "See, that wasn't that difficult to say out loud! You're getting there, bro!"

Mark couldn't help smiling back, knowing that Glenn was just trying to keep him out of the blues.

"Mark?"

Mark sighed. Glenn seemed to be in a talkative mood. "What now, Glenn?"

"You think Jeff will leave us?"

Mark remained silent, he didn't know. He had thought that he and Shawn had a good thing going until Hunter came into the picture. And then, there was Glenn. Nothing in life was predictable.

"Do you think he will finally go with Chris?" Glenn finally spoke out his fear. He needed some assurance that Jeff would stay with them always! Given the chance, he knew that Chris could steal Jeff away from them.

He muttered under his breath, "Chris is good looking and I'm right at the bottom in that department."

Mark shifted to look at his brother, maintaining eye contact, "No one knows what will happen but there's one thing I know for sure. Jeff likes you, an awful lot! Remember how you two hit it off immediately? There is chemistry between the two of you. My advice to you is, don't worry of what could happen but just cherish the time you have with him now."

Glenn reflected on his brother's words of wisdom and grinned sheepishly, "I guess you're right. And one more thing, Jeff is not only mine to cherish, he's yours to cherish as well!"

His face took on a pensive look, "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused you and Shawn. If it wasn't for me, you and he wouldn't have broken up!" he said in a bitter tone.

Mark shook his head, "It's not your fault. Things just didn't work out for us."

Jeff stirred and the two men turned their attention towards him. Slowly, his lashes fluttered open and he looked through bleary eyes at the two heads bent over him. Jeff smiled warmly at them. They had watched over him while he slept, he had never felt safer!

Both men leaned down to nuzzle him lovingly and he snuggled deeper under the covers, sighing contentedly. If only his Matty was here with him, it would have been perfect!

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Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………….


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Thanks to all who have reviewed!

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Chapter 7

"Stop it, Scotty! The others will see us!" Matt protested when Scott tried to push him down on the bench.

"Come on Angel, just pretend they're not here," Scott panted, already aroused by the sounds coming from his friends. He tried to pull away Matt's towel but his hands got slapped away.

"Let us just go back to our room, okay? I can't do it here!" Matt insisted.

"You have to take care of this for me now because I sure as hell can't walk out like that!" Scott pointed to his prominent erection and looked sheepishly at Matt.

Matt's mouth twitched and Scott grinned before pulling Matt towards him by his hips, "No one can see us, it's too steamy in here! Anyways, they're too busy themselves!"

Matt turned around to check and Scott was right. He could hardly define the others through the steam-shrouded room. With Matt momentarily distracted, Scott drew his towel off abruptly from behind, taking him by surprise. Nuzzling against Matt's neck, he pressed his body close, letting Matt feel his hardness. Matt shivered with anticipation as Scott placed both hands on his hips and pulled him backwards, thrusting gently against his lower back.

Scott whispered seductively in his ear, "Feel that?" and Matt gulped before nodding. He could feel its presence probing between his nether cheeks.

"It's all for you! You want me to slide my big cock into you now?" Scott whispered huskily as he nibbled at Matt's earlobe, causing him to moan out loud. He ran a finger slowly down the crack and caressed the puckered skin with a finger.

"Please Scotty, don't tease," Matt pleaded as his lover replaced his finger with his cockhead and circled it teasingly around his pucker.

"Tell me what you want Angel," and Matt thrust his hips backwards in reply.

"I want you to say it," Scott whispered as he pressed against Matt, letting his cockhead slid an inch into the hole before pulling it out, tormenting him.

Matt panted between gasps, "Please Scotty, push it all the way in! Just fuck me already!"

Scott grinned before pulling Matt over to the bench. He threw a towel on it and got Matt down on all fours. Moving behind him, he guided his cockhead to the hole and pushed it in, sliding slowly all the way in with the steam and sweat rolling down their bodies acting as lubricant. Matt squeezed his eyes tight and bit his lower lip, trying not to cry out as the huge cock intruded his tight passage, still mindful of the others in the room.

Scott stopped moving once he buried himself to the hilt. His chest heaved as he fought the urge to thrust. He waited not too long before Matt pushed back, urging him to move. Both men moved rhythmically, starting off slowly. Soon, they were pulling and thrusting frantically and their moans added to the lustful symphony of the others. In a haze of lust, Matt felt his pleasure intensifying, enhanced by the erotic groans and sounds of wet bodies slapping against each other. He thrust back to take Scott deeper into him, body trembling, almost on the verge of release. Scott felt his balls tightened and quickly wrapped a hand around his cock, pumping in unison with his thrusts.

"Come on Angel, cum for me now!" He urged Matt and with a shout, he climaxed and Scott followed immediately after.

Matt slid forward on his stomach with Scott still attached to him. Both men panted harshly and soon, they heard the other couplings' ecstatic cries and grunts. Scott gently detached himself and pulled Matt into his arms, pecking him tenderly on the lips.

"That wasn't too bad for a first public appearance," Scott said and chuckled at the stunned look on Matt's face. "You're too self-conscious but you'll get used to this, we do it all the time!"

Matt sighed before leaning his head on Scott's shoulder, "I don't think I can do this openly in front of the others again. Can we just head back to our room the next time?"

Scott suddenly stood up with Matt in his arms, "Whatever you say, Angel. Why don't we head back now and go for round two?"

Matt cast him a stunned look of disbelief before spluttering, "Bu..but Scotty, we just got done!"

Scott gave him a salacious look, "You want to bet?"

Matt was struck speechless, astounded by his lover's libido. He could hear the others approaching them and hissed at Scotty to put him down. Grabbing the towel off the bench, he hastily wrapped it around his waist before turning to face the others, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Kevin grinned and shook his head, "Scotty, you better stop teasing Matt or you won't be getting any from him any time soon!"

Matt looked indignantly at Scott, "So, you were just playing with me!"

Scott laughed, trying to hug Matt to him, "Calm down, Angel, can't you take a joke?" Scott fluttered his dark lashes at him and Matt found it hard to stay angry with him.

"Okay, I'll let you off this time," Matt relented and allowed himself to be pulled into a hug and kiss.

The others snickered and Hunter said with a grin, "Now that you boys have kissed and made up, we'll leave you alone. Shawn and I are just going to get something to eat. See you guys later!"

He was about to lead Shawn out when Matt stopped them. He had promised Chris to talk to them and they were all there. He quickly told them what had transpired during his conversation with Chris and implored everyone to keep mum about the situation with Chris and the Brothers of Destruction.

"Chris doesn't want anyone to know that he propositioned himself and got turned down by Mark and Glenn. He is really a nice guy and I think we could just help him by keeping the matter on the hush-hush. He has no one to turn to for help since his fall out with Adam and Jay," Matt explained.

Scott asked abruptly, "You're not falling for him, are you?"

Matt gasped before protesting, "Of course not, Scotty, we're just friends! I'm just trying to help the guy! Jesus!"

"Okay, just checking." Scott grinned at him, looking slightly abashed.

Kevin nodded before saying, "Just so you know, we have nothing against Chris. He can be arrogant at times but so long as he doesn't throw his weight around us, we keep our peace with him. You can tell him that his secret is safe with us."

He then turned to Hunter and spoke directly to him, "You hear that, Hunt?"

Everyone turned to look at Hunter who looked back at them innocently with wide eyes, ""What? I would never tell, I swear! My lips are sealed!"

He motioned to zip his mouth with a hand before twiddling his fingers casually. The others just shook their heads, they knew Hunter better than anyone else but they weren't going to blow his cover in front of Matt, he would find out soon enough!

Matt remained unknowing and let out a sigh of relief, "Thanks guys. Now, all I have to do is to talk Adam and Jay around to forgive Chris."

"Angel, why are you putting yourself out for this guy? You're sure there's nothing more than friendship here?" Scott asked again suspiciously. He just couldn't help feeling a teeny weenie bit jealous.

"Scotty, there's nothing going on between Chris and me, okay?" Matt reassured him.

"Okay, okay, if you say so! Now, come here!"

He pulled Matt towards him possessively before whispering into his ear, "Let us get out of here and head back to our room. We can work up an appetite before meeting up your kid brother and the fearsome duo for lunch!"

Matt leaned up to kiss Scott before pulling back, "We will do whatever you want but let me talk to Adam and Jay first."

Scott let out a sigh of resignation and released Matt, "Whatever you say, Angel. Now, hurry up and get dressed, let us just settle this and then we can be alone."

The Kliq left shortly after to attend to their affairs. Matt and Scott went to talk to Adam and Jay, Hunter and Shawn went for an early lunch and Kevin and Sean decided to drop in on Mark and Glenn to find out how things were going with them and their newfound member.

~*~

Mark had promised to return. He needed to talk to Vince to discuss how they could schedule the matches so that someone they trust could watch over Jeff when they were out in the ring. He knew there would be ramifications arising from the confrontation earlier that day with Raven and his associates, and didn't want to risk leaving Jeff by himself even for a minute.

Glenn and Jeff were lying on the bed, watching Jeff's preferred channel. 'Scooby Doo' was on. Glenn tried to keep his mind on the cartoon but found he was watching Jeff instead. He was itching to engage in some extracurricular activity with Jeff but Mark's words kept ringing in his head, _"He's worn out! You have to let him rest!"_ And Mark had, yet again, warned him to behave while he was out on an errand. Glenn sighed. _Mark can be a party pooper at times!_

He glanced furtively at Jeff who was propped up on two pillows, his eyes glued to the television screen.

Finally realizing that Glenn was watching him, Jeff turned his head to smile at him before asking softly, "Are you bored?"

Glenn nodded and his hand crept up to caress Jeff's face, "Yes, but that's okay. You just watch your cartoons while I watch you."

Jeff's eyes softened, finding it endearing that Glenn was giving in to him. He took Glenn's hand to palm his face, "I'm sorry, I guess not everyone likes cartoons. Matty says I'm too old to watch them but I do like them. Anyways, I can watch them another time."

He released Glenn's hand and took the control to turn off the television.

"Okay, what do you want to do?" he asked, giving his full attention to the dominant male.

Glenn's eyes twinkled mischievously, "Play with you! Will you let me?" He said the last part in a suggestive tone.

Jeff's cheeks flushed and casting his eyes down bashfully, he murmured, "But we just did that this morning and I'm still sore."

Glenn chuckled, "I'm sorry to hear that! Hmm, may be, we can just play the kissing game?"

Jeff looked curiously at him, his curiosity piqued. "Kissing game? What's that?"

"Well, we kiss! It sounds simple but it's really not. It takes years of practice before you can perfect the art of kissing. And once you have mastered it, you can give immense pleasure to your partner! Do you want me to teach you?"

Jeff nodded earnestly, eager to pick up some tips and from a master kisser, nonetheless! Glenn's kisses had transported him to unknown places the night before and he had enjoyed every moment of it! Glenn bent down to brush his lips sensuously against Jeff's before pressing down firmly to engulf his mouth. Lapping at Jeff's lips, he teasingly pried them open with his tongue before entering its warm cavern to explore its entirety at leisure. Jeff mewled and his arms wrapped themselves around Glenn's neck, pulling him in to deepen the kiss. Glenn was doing things in his mouth which made him feel wonderful! He started to return Glenn's kisses feverishly, melting against him while Glenn ravished his mouth. He finally released Jeff to allow him to breathe, delighted with the outcome; Jeff's eyes were half-lidded and had darkened with desire.

Glenn swore under his breath, slowly taking in the beautiful ravished look on Jeff's face. His dark emerald eyes, speckled with gold, were glazed over with lust, his cheeks were flushed and his lips, kiss-swollen and Glenn knew he just couldn't stop there. There were plenty of ways he could use his mouth.

Leaning down, he slowly planted tender kisses on Jeff's eyes, his perky nose, his rosy cheeks, his sultry mouth, behind his ear …. Jeff gasped delightfully and Glenn grinned, he had found one of Jeff's sweet spots! He worked on the sensitive spot, kissing and nibbling on his ear lobe and was rewarded with Jeff crying out his name softly, "Glenn …" before arching his body involuntarily upwards.

Glenn continued to nuzzle, nibble and kiss his way down, moving southwards, stopping to remove Jeff's clothes as he went along. He nibbled gently on the expanse of his neck before lavishing attention on his collarbone, chest and nipples. Glenn kissed and tugged at the nipples gently with his teeth, making Jeff arched forward and moaned wantonly. Taking his time, he worked his mouth and tongue over those abs and down to those beautiful hip indents which he caressed ever so sensuously with his lips and hands. He slid Jeff's boxers down out of his way and licked his lips at the sight of the semi erect slender shaft. Bending down, Glenn circled the head with his tongue, causing Jeff to jerk up and cry out, "Oh God! Glenn!"

Jeff panted harshly, his hands clenching the sides of his pillow tightly, body shivering with anticipation. Glenn flicked his tongue furiously at the slit and Jeff thrust his hips upwards, wailing, "Ohhh…please… Oh God!... feels so good…please…don't stop….ohhh…."

Glenn slowly engulfed Jeff's shaft, sliding his mouth up and down the shaft while holding his hips down firmly. Writhing on the bed and thrashing his head on the pillow, Jeff cried out desperately, "Ahhh….. please ….ohhh .… I need …. ohhh… ohhh… oh God....please …. please …. Glennnnyyyy …." and Glenn released his cock from his mouth.

Jeff was hard as a rock and so was Glenn. Without uttering a word, he pulled off his boxers first before removing Jeff's and tossed them aside and parted his legs, quickly moving between them. Bending Jeff's legs towards his chest, Glenn bent his head and licked at the pucker furiously, working his tongue into the tight hole, his saliva would have to suffice as lubricant for now.

"Glennyyyy!" Jeff squirmed under him with his eyes squeezed tight, hands twisting the sheets. Glenn couldn't wait much longer. His hardness was throbbing and aching with a vengeance and he needed to assuage the pain. Pulling his tongue out, he positioned his cockhead and pushed it in none too gently but Jeff was lost in the haze of his desire to feel too much of the pain.

"Glennnn…." Jeff whined before wrapping his long legs around Glenn's waist, tightening their hold as he arched his hips upwards, trying to take Glenn's throbbing cock all the way in. His arms were latched around Glenn's neck for leverage. He gasped as Glenn pushed in to the hilt, conscious of the pain now as his tight passage accommodated the huge intrusion without lubrication. Squeezing his eyes shut, he breathed in deeply and waited for the pain to subside. Intense pleasurable sensations coursed through his body when Glenn started moving.

"Jeff…" Glenn groaned as he pumped into Jeff, and when Jeff started to keen and thrust back against him, he increased the pace to piston his love machine deep and hard into Jeff's hot, sweet core. Jeff's wanton cries only urged him on and it wasn't long before their mating dance reached a feverish pitch. Taking hold of Jeff's hard shaft, Glenn brought him over the edge with strong, hard strokes.

"Glennnn….!" Jeff shrieked and stilled his body as he ejaculated. Sparks went off behind his eyes and he experienced the most intense orgasm he ever had, feeling faint as his passage contracted around Glenn's cock, milking him. Glenn shouted out his release, shooting copious flow of hot cum into Jeff's tunnel of love before collapsing on top of him. Jeff mewled weakly and Glenn rolled off him before gathering him into his arms. Closing his eyes, Jeff's breathing slowed. Lulled by the aftermath of orgasmic relief, he dozed off fitfully in Glenn's arms.

"I love you Jeff, please don't ever leave us," Glenn whispered as he held him tight against him, almost afraid to let him go.

He didn't know what he would do if Jeff were to leave, he had fallen for the pretty blonde! Shawn had left his brother for Hunter and Glenn's deepest fear was that Jeff would leave him for Chris.

Shawn had been with Mark for several months and the two were almost inseparable. Mark and Glenn had always enjoyed a tight bond, travelling and rooming together even after Shawn came upon the scene. Initially, Glenn felt displaced when Mark's attention was focused on Shawn but realizing that his brother had fallen deeply in love with the Heartbreak Kid, had decided to step back and let them spend as much time together as possible. He loved Mark and wanted him to be happy.

Shawn had stayed several times in their room but he wasn't thrilled with the arrangement that Glenn was always around. He wanted Glenn to stay in a separate room but Mark was against the idea. His brother always had problems interacting with the others and Mark didn't want him to stay on his own and feel left out. He had tried explaining to Shawn who turned a deaf ear, feeling disgruntled that he wasn't the apple of Mark's eye. Their arguments over Glenn escalated and soon, dissension set in. It culminated when Shawn, in a moment of anger, accused Mark of having an incestuous relationship with his own brother. He told Mark that their relationship wasn't working out and he wanted time apart.

All these time, Hunter had been harboring feelings for Shawn and seizing the golden opportunity, had approached and confessed his love to Shawn. The two started to go out together and Hunter lavished attention and love on the golden boy. When Mark found out and confronted him, Shawn told him that he no longer loved him and ended the relationship. He said he was in love with Hunter. His words broke Mark's heart, and soul. Glenn blamed himself for the breakup and swore that he would make it up to Mark, somehow.

When he first met Jeff, he was thoroughly taken in by him. His innocence was beguiling and the fact that he didn't show any fear for him spoke volumes! And by the end of the day, Glenn knew he was falling for him. Glenn noticed that Mark was also enthralled by Jeff when he first laid eyes on him. He had made no attempt to go with another man since Shawn, remaining aloof and disinterested until Jeff came along. It didn't escape his eyes that Mark had taken the initiative to speak to the brothers at their first meeting and even went up to introduce himself and Glenn, which just go to show how interested he was! Glenn knew then that Jeff would be the one to help Mark feel and live again. And as luck would have it, Jeff chose to join them! He was the answer to both their prayers and Glenn decided then if Jeff would have him, he would selflessly share their love with Mark. He prayed fervently that Jeff would grow to love them both and stay with them always!

The door opened and Mark walked in. He took one look at Jeff and let out a sigh of exasperation before chastening his brother, "How many times do I have to tell you, Glenn! Why won't you listen to me?" and Glenn looked abashed.

Mark moved towards the bed to check on Jeff before sitting himself down.

"If you keep humping him, the boy would be too worn out to wrestle and he'll get it from Vince! Now, no more sex for you for the rest of the day, you hear?"

Glenn grinned sheepishly at him, "I was just teaching him how to kiss but it got out of hand."

Mark shook his head, chuckling, "You tricked him, didn't you? If he only knew that your kissing game is but a game of seduction!"

Glenn smirked, "He won't find out, Jeff is still too innocent to know the difference, but we'll teach him, won't we Mark?"

Mark's eyes softened before speaking quietly, "You're sure about this? He likes you and once he's more comfortable with us, he may want to just stay exclusive with you. I don't want to ruin anything you two might have."

Glenn moved to grasp his brother's hand, "You've given up a lot for me, Mark. I don't know even if Jeff will stay with us for long but if he so decides to stay, it's us or nothing!"

Mark sighed, "We'll see how things go."

He changed the subject abruptly, "I need to talk to Kevin. We need his help to keep watch over Jeff when both of us are out in the ring. Matt alone will not be enough to deter Raven from trying to get his hands on our little one."

"We'll be meeting the Kliq for lunch, remember? We can talk to him then." Glenn reminded him.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Mark said with a frown. He hoped he wouldn't meet Shawn and Hunter, doubting that they could sit down peacefully at the same table.

"Mark, I know how you feel but don't you think it's time you bury the hatchet and move on? I hate to see you looking so despondent whenever Shawn's name is mentioned."

Mark remained silent and Glenn sighed. His brother needed more time to heal. He suddenly perked up as an idea hit him. He would talk to Jeff later when Mark wasn't around and tell him everything. With his help, they would help Mark to forget Shawn and get his life on track again. Pleased with himself for coming up with the idea, Glenn grinned to himself.

"What are you up to now, Glenn" Mark eyed him suspiciously. He recognized that look. Glenn was definitely up to something!

"Nothing, I'm just wondering if we can call Kevin and meet him earlier. Jeff didn't eat much this morning. In fact, most of his breakfast ended up on Raven's head, courtesy of you!" Glenn burst into laughter.

Mark's mouth twitched with amusement and he finally let out a chuckle, "He did ask for it, coming on to Jeff with that graphic drawing and message!" He let out a low rumble of anger at the thought.

Aha! Glenn detected the note of jealousy in Mark's tone. He was right! Mark was beginning to reveal more of his feelings without realizing it. He wanted to say something about it when there was a knock at the door.

Mark pulled the covers over Jeff before getting up to open the door and telling Glenn, "You better get dressed!"

He pulled the door open to reveal the big man himself and his lover boy.

"Hey Kev, Sean. Is it time for lunch yet?" Mark asked before glancing backwards briefly to ensure that Glenn was decent before pulling the door wide open to invite them in.

"Nah, just checking on how you guys and Jeff are getting along." Kevin took one look at the half-dressed Glenn and the sated look on Jeff's sleeping face and grinned knowingly, "Oh man, you just humped him, didn't you Glenn?" and he and Sean chortled with laughter.

"Oh, shut up!" Glenn said in a playful tone before pulling on his shirt. He said, "Let us wait for Jeff to wake. Mark has something to discuss with you, anyways."

Mark quickly explained why he needed their help to keep an eye on Jeff, giving them a brief rundown of their confrontation with Raven and company.

"No problem, Jeff can stay with us while you're out in the ring," Kevin said and Sean grinned and added, "Maybe we can have ourselves an orgy fest with Jeff! Damn, he looks so fine!"

Glenn gave him a friendly push while saying, "Stay back, little Jeff is ours! You can get your loving from big Kevin right here and you also have your own Hardy! Stay away from ours!" and growled at Sean.

Mark and Kevin chuckled while Sean pouted and addressed his lover, "Baby, are you going to let Glenn get away with that?"

Kevin pulled his lover to him, "Yes, because you're getting greedy. Am I not enough for you that you're lusting after pretty Jeffrey over there?" and everyone chortled with laughter.

Sean beamed at Kevin before latching his arms around his neck, "You're all I need, big boy! I don't need anyone else!"

Mark and Glenn looked on, smiling as Kevin and Sean shared a loving kiss. They were wondering if they would be fortunate enough to enjoy the same kind of relationship with Jeff.

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Reviews greatly appreciated …………………………………………..


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

I can never say thank you enough to all the reviewers. Your comments are appreciated.

I must admit that the pace is slow going but that's the way I like it. I love going into details and I hope I'm not boring some of you. By all means, skip the parts that you find tedious or boring but allow me to write it the way I want. I believe stories are like wine, you have to let them breathe. Hope you enjoy the following chapter!

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Chapter 8

"I'm coming!" Adam yelled as he turned off the television and made his way towards the door. Jay was on the phone talking to his mother.

Adam pulled the door open. His eyes lit up when he saw Matt, with Scott standing behind him.

"Hey man! What brings you here? Come on in!"

Jay ended his conversation, promising his mother that he would call her back later.

He quickly moved forward, giving Matt a hug and nodded to Scott, "What's up guys?"

"Can we sit down? This may take a while," Matt said, moving to sit on the bed with Jay and Adam. Scott took a chair and sat down facing them.

Quickly, Matt explained what he had found out from Chris after they had both left. He told them about Chris' apprehensions and sought their co-operation to keep his affairs private.

"Kevin has promised the Kliq will keep mum about the situation but could you just help Chris out here? He regrets dragging you into the predicament but he was kind of desperate at the time. Just talk to him, will you?"

Adam spoke up, "We didn't know that he would get so upset but hey, we have got over it already. We'll sort things out with Chris later and stop worrying, Jay and I will keep our mouths shut. I'm sorry I ran my mouth earlier to Shawn and the others, I really wasn't thinking!"

Jay added, "Yeah, I was kind of harsh on him too! Maybe, we can all get together later for a few drinks and patch things up?"

Matt beamed, "That's a great idea! I told Chris I'll let him know. Why don't we go over and tell him now? He needs the company, he's feeling depressed."

Jay sniggered, "Chris has a huge ego and it just got deflated! I hope he has learned a lesson here!"

Adam shook his head and chuckled, "I don't know about that, he seems pretty intent on getting close to Jeff. I bet he still hasn't given up hope yet!"

Matt fidgeted uneasily before saying, ""I told Chris that I'll talk to Mark and Glenn, about letting him befriend Jeff. Do you think it's a bad idea?"

Scott, who had been listening quietly all these while, suddenly jumped out of his chair, startling everyone, "Are you crazy? There's no way Mark and Glenn would let Chris anywhere near Jeff! You're going to get yourself mangled if you ask them!"

Matt frowned, "They're not unreasonable and it's really up to Jeff if he wants to become friends with Chris, right?"

He had started to feel uncomfortable about the whole situation. From what he had just heard, Chris might not be easily let down and if Adam and Scott were right, he might be getting himself involved in a sticky situation.

Scott shook his head, "Not when he is a pack member of the Brothers of Destruction. There is a code and it applies to the Kliq as well. All members have a right to intervene if we feel that the actions and behavior of a member would cause disharmony or threaten the interests of another member. We can't just take in a new member or kick anyone out. Everyone has to come to a consensus."

The three stared incredulously at Scott and Matt asked, "Are you saying that we can't even choose our own friends?"

Scott sighed, "That is not what I'm saying. Why don't we look at it this way? Jeff is with Mark and Glenn and Chris steps in. He tries to steal Jeff away under their noses. What do you think will happen?"

Adam smiled grimly and made a slitting motion across his throat and Scott exclaimed, "Exactly! You shouldn't trust Chris. He would most likely try to snatch Jeff away. And knowing Mark and Glenn, they are not going to give him a chance to even try it!"

Scott turned to Matt, "Angel, you are not to talk to Mark and Glenn about this because I know there is no chance in hell they would agree to it! Don't get caught between them because you'll only end up getting hurt!"

"But, I told Chris that I'll talk to them about it. I can't break my promise now!" Matt knew Scotty was right but he didn't know how to extricate himself from the delicate situation.

"Let me talk to Chris. If he's still persistent, then he would just have to talk to them himself. You are not to get involved!" Scott stated firmly.

Matt groaned with despair. _What am I going to do now? I really should mind my own business and learn to keep my mouth shut!_

Adam and Jay felt sorry for him and Matt thought hard. _There has to be a way to deal with this!_ His eyes suddenly widened as he recalled Kevin saying he was going to drop in on Mark and Glenn.

"Scotty, Kevin did mention he was visiting Mark and Glenn right?"

Scott nodded, "Yeah, he should be with them right now."

He paused, suddenly realizing why Matt asked. "You want him to talk to them?"

Matt looked guiltily at him, "Well, Kevin got along well with Mark and Glenn. Maybe they would consider it more calmly if it was coming from him?"

Scott frowned. It looked like Matt was still unwilling to let it go and was going all out to help Chris. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. But, one thing he knew for sure was that if anyone was to get through to Mark and Glenn, it would be Kevin.

He sighed, knowing he couldn't turn his Angel down and said reluctantly, "Okay, I'll go talk to Kevin. You stay with Adam and Jay and don't leave until I come back! I don't want Bradshaw and his guys getting their hands on you while I'm not around! You got that?"

Matt nodded. It wouldn't hurt to have someone take charge for a change. The feeling was alien to him but he was relieved to have someone else shoulder the responsibilities for once!

"Good! You two, stay with him!" Scott ordered before letting himself out.

Adam and Jay sniggered and looked over at Matt.

"What?" Matt asked. He had a questioning look on his face.

Adam patted him on his back, "The day you let another man rule you! Now, that is something that I've just witnessed but still found hard to believe!"

He and Jay broke into laughter and Matt growled, "I'll get you for that!" and with that, he jumped on top his two friends. Everyone tumbled on the bed and a tickling fest commenced. Amidst the shrieks and screams, the three friends finally fell exhausted on the bed, catching their breaths.

Lying on his side, Jay propped his head on his hand to look at Matt, "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

Matt turned towards him, "You want to know why we join the protections groups, don't you?"

Adam and Jay nodded emphatically.

"Yes, Jay and I were talking and we were wondering what prompted the madness," Adam said.

Matt sat up to lean against the headboard and sighed, "You saw what happened at the meeting. Wherever Jeff goes, there are always people who would taunt and jeer and try to get into his pants! Did you know that he was ambushed later that day?"

Adam and Jay gasped in shock, they had no idea!

Matt related the events, "He was almost raped by Raven and his friends but fortunately for him, Hunter and Shawn came upon them and intervened. Mark and Glenn went back to check on Jeff and Glenn lost it and a fight broke out. Mister McMahon stopped the fight. We only found out about the protection groups when there was a dispute between the Kliq and the Brothers of Destruction. Both lay claims on us belonging to their group. I thought it would be in our best interests, especially for Jeff, to put ourselves under their protection but I had no idea that payment for these services was anything but monetary. Jeff and I were split on our decisions so we finally decided to just go with our inclinations. That's how we end up where we are!"

"So, that's the story!" Adam said and then he nudged Matt and asked conspiratorially, "How's the sex? Did you get on with all of them or is it just Scott?" He and Jay sniggered and waited earnestly for a response.

Matt glared at them before getting up from the bed, "That's none of your business!" A gleam came into his eye, "Maybe you would like to join and find out? I can tell Kevin that you both are interested."

The two Canadians' jaws dropped, quickly voicing their protests.

"No way, I'm not into guys! I love women too much to even consider men!" Adam said with a shudder.

Jay's eyes were round as saucers, he looked petrified! "Don't ever say that again! Now, I can't get the image of them humping me out of my head! Arghhh!"

It was Matt's turn to laugh, "Serves you right for poking your noses into my private life!"

"Come on Matt, we're just curious! Does it hurt? You bottom or did you get to top?" Adam pestered him for details.

"I'm not telling! Why don't you ask Jeffro instead? Maybe he'll get Mark and Glenn to explain the details to you personally!" Matt taunted and couldn't keep back the laughter on seeing the shocked look on their faces.

"I'm too young to die! I think I can live without knowing!" Jay decided but Adam was still persistent.

"Fine, don't tell me then! I'll ask Jeff when I see him. Damn! He's got two of the largest cocks in his ass! How does he take it?"

Matt glared at him but Adam refused to back down, "Come on, I know you're curious too. Just look at the size of those two cocks, how are they both going to fit into that small tight hole of Jeffro's?"

Matt gasped in shock, "What? You mean they can double team my baby Jeffro? Are you sure that's even possible?"

Adam scratched his head, "Huh, I don't know, I'm just speculating but we can ask Jeff. Hey, does that mean the Kliq hasn't tried the two-in-one yet? You should ask Scott if it has been ventured before."

Matt felt anxious. Damn Adam for putting the double penetration image into his head! He couldn't help agreeing with Adam, there was no way Jeff could fit both men. They would seriously hurt him if they tried to!

"I need to talk to Jeff!" Matt said as he walked quickly towards the door and the two men scrambled off the bed after him. Scott would have their heads if they let him out on his own!

~*~

Shawn and Hunter decided to head back to their room after lunch. They met Chris along the way and stopped to make idle talk. Hunter tried several times to bring up the subject on the Brothers of Destruction but each time he tried, Shawn would cut him off. Chris knew what Hunter was driving at and wanted to make a quick getaway before Hunter embarrassed him.

"I've some shopping to do. I'll see you guys around." Chris left after bidding them a hasty goodbye.

Once he was out of sight, Shawn punched Hunter on his arm, "Can't you zip it up? He feels embarrassed and you are not supposed to bring that up anyway!" Shawn said as both men slowly made their way to the elevator.

"I forgot. You know me, I just say whatever's on my mind. Anyway, it feels good to see him squirm!" Hunter said gleefully as he put his arm around Shawn once the lift door closed. They were alone in the car.

"You don't like him?" Shawn asked inquisitively and Hunter shrugged, "He's pretty cocky but he's okay, I guess."

Shawn grinned, "He reminds me of someone who happens to be standing next to me!"

"Hey, I'm much better looking than him, Shawn!" Hunter exclaimed as the lift door opened.

Chuckling, Shawn led the way, "I'm referring to your egos, Hunt!"

Opening the door, both men entered and Hunter closed the door behind him. He moved towards Shawn and pulled him towards him.

"In spite of my huge ego, you still love me, don't you?" his words a soft caress as he stroked Shawn's arms lightly.

Shawn leaned against him, sighing blissfully, "Of course I do."

"Do you miss him?" Hunter asked as he wrapped his arms around Shawn and felt him stiffening.

"What's with all the questions, Hunt?"

Hunter sighed loudly before pulling apart and looked tenderly down at Shawn, "Promise not to get angry? You know I hate to keep things from you and there is something I need to get off my chest."

Shawn nodded, "Just tell me what's bothering you, I promise to stay calm."

"Are you jealous that Mark now has Jeff?" Hunter asked in his abrupt manner. It wasn't in his nature to beat around the bush.

Shawn walked away to sit on the bed, looking up at him. "What do you mean by that? Do I look like I'm jealous?"

"Glenn was all over Jeff the minute he laid eyes on him but Mark was more discreet. I couldn't help noticing how frustrated you were when Glenn told us that Jeff belonged with them and you even approached Kevin to intervene."

"You've forgotten something, Hunt. You were the one who told Raven and those goons that the Hardys were under the Kliq's protection. I was just looking after our interests!"

"Yes, I did but it was to get them to back off. I was surprised when you fought so hard to get Jeff to come over to our side and you were obviously upset when he chose to go over to Mark and Glenn."

Shawn cast his eyes down, keeping quiet. Hunter moved to sit beside him and pulled him to lean his head on his shoulder, "You do miss him, don't you?"

It took Shawn a moment before he finally confessed, "I feel bad forcing him to choose between his brother and me and I have said horrible things to him! I accused him of having an incestuous affair with Glenn and I'm so ashamed of myself for throwing that in his face! He was just looking after Glenn's interests but you know me, I'm selfish, always have been!"

He paused to sigh and then continued to voice out his thoughts, "When I see Jeff, I see a bit of myself in him and I can't help feeling envious when I see Mark and him together. But," he turned his head to look into Hunter's eyes, "don't ever doubt my love for you, I do love you Hunt! I've never regretted my decision to go with you. I just wish I could make peace with Mark."

"Then, go talk to him! If you want, I will go with you," Hunter offered. A sense of relief washed over him. He thought Shawn had a change of heart but his worries were unfounded.

"I can't! He has been avoiding me and even you! And, I don't even know where to start if I see him!" Shawn said in an exasperated tone.

Hugging Shawn to him, Hunter said, "I know he has yet to forgive both of us but time will heal all wounds. Just give him some more time, he'll come around. Jeff may be able to speed up the process though."

He paused to think before adding, "Have you noticed how protective Mark and Glenn are over him? They wouldn't let him out of their sight! Hmm, I wonder how the brothers are getting along with their new pup. Do you think they're both sharing him?" He sniggered suddenly, "That kid is too pretty for his own good. They're going to have their hands full with Raven and Chris sniffing at their pup's heel! We're going to see a lot of action from those two campers!"

Shawn couldn't help smiling. On one hand, he was happy for Mark and Glenn but he couldn't help feeling conflicted with the new situation. He did feel a tinge of jealousy towards Jeff but if he was honest with himself, he knew he would still pick Hunter over Mark. Maybe, Mark wasn't the only one who hadn't let go. Shawn sighed. He would have to find a way to talk to him and resolve their differences. Only then would both of them be able to move on with their lives without looking back.

~*~

Jeff finally woke up from his snooze to the sounds of chatter in the room. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked up to see Glenn smiling down at him.

Glenn informed him in a whisper, "We have company. Kevin and Sean are here."

Jeff was about to get up when Glenn stopped him, "Wait, you're naked under the covers. Let me help you to the bathroom."

And to Jeff's horror and embarrassment, Glenn wrapped him up in the covers and transported him to the bathroom, amidst laughter from their guests. Mark just shook his head, trying not to laugh but the look on Jeff's face was precious! His face had turned pink and he had hidden his face against Glenn's chest, one hand clasped around his neck, the other clutching the covers against him, just in case it fell off.

Glenn came out and took Jeff's bag and went back into the bathroom. He came out subsequently, closing the door behind him and informed the others, "Don't tease him when he comes out. He's pink all over with embarrassment, from the top of his head to the tips of his toes!"

The four chuckled with amusement but tried to keep it down, not wanting to embarrass Jeff any further.

"He's really cute! Has he settled in well?" Sean asked. He knew how close Jeff was with Matt. It must be trying for the both of them to stay separately.

"He's all settled in and the three of us get along marvelously!" Glenn proclaimed proudly and received a friendly slap on his back from Kevin who offered some advice.

"You and Mark better go easy on him. Your pup looks like he has been thoroughly fucked every which way, he looks exhausted!"

Mark looked accusingly at his brother, "See? I told you, didn't I? Even Kevin noticed it!"

The bathroom door opened and Jeff poked his head out. His hair was wet. He must have taken a shower.

"Huh… can you come in here awhile?" Jeff pleaded, looking desperately at Mark and then, at Glenn.

Mark moved forward, "I'll go. You stay here Glenn. I don't trust you to keep your hands to yourself while you're in there!"

Kevin and Sean sniggered loudly while Glenn pouted.

Mark entered and closed the door firmly behind him, looking at Jeff. He had indeed showered and had a towel wrapped around his waist. Jeff looked anxiously up at him, his eyes wet. Was the boy crying?

"What's wrong Jeff?" Mark asked, furrowing his brow with worry.

"Mark, I … I'm in pain. It hurts when I move and I … it feels sore down there," he flinched as he tried to turn before whimpering softly, trying to hold back his tears.

"Let me take a look but you need to remove the towel first," Mark said.

Jeff hesitated momentarily before turning around modestly, yet grimacing in pain at every move, and unwrapped the towel.

Mark bent him down gently at the waist, "Just lay your hands on the bathtub and open your legs."

Mark knelt down on one knee and very gently, he pried open Jeff's nether cheeks and immediately saw the redness. The skin around his pucker looked sore. _Skin burn, must have been caused by the friction._ He reminded himself to get some lube later. Mark spread his cheeks wider apart, receiving a whimper from Jeff.

"I'm sorry but I need to check if there's any tearing or bleeding," Mark informed him before examining the area closely.

He finally got up to his feet, "I don't see any bleeding but there's skin burn around the area. Wait here, I have something that will soothe and ease the pain."

Mark left the bathroom and went to his bag, rummaging through it.

"What are you looking for?" Glenn asked inquisitively as he watched his brother going through his bag.

Kevin and Sean grinned at one another, they had a pretty good idea what was going on. Poor Jeff, he must be hurting really bad!

Mark found what he was looking for and pulled it out, "This. Let me help Jeff first and then we'll talk."

He walked back into the bathroom and closed the door. Jeff looked over to him and Mark gave him a reassuring smile, "We'll fix you up, you'll be good as new in no time!"

He proceeded to wash his hands, drying them before resuming a kneeling position. "Bend down and spread your legs, I'm going to apply the ointment to the sore area. Now, just bear with the pain for a while."

Jeff nodded and did as told. Squeezing a generous amount of the cooling cream onto his finger, Mark pulled the cheeks apart with his fingers and rubbed the ointment around the sore region. Jeff felt a cooling sensation and it was soothing to the touch. He breathed out a soft sigh of relief.

Squeezing more of the cream onto his finger, Mark warned Jeff, "I'm going to put some of it into the passage, it'll hurt at first but it'll help to heal. I want you to take in a deep breath and let it out slowly while I push in. You're ready?"

Again, Jeff nodded. He couldn't help whimpering in pain when Mark pushed in the gel-covered finger, rotating it gently to coat the tight passage.

Satisfied that he had thoroughly covered the passage, he withdrew gently and stood up, looking over at Jeff. "It's all done. How do you feel?"

Jeff turned his head to look shyly at him, blushing to his roots, "It's soothing. The pain isn't that bad now. Thank you."

Mark smiled at him before washing his hands at the basin while Jeff put on his clothes.

"We will re-apply at every four-hour intervals and you should be able to move comfortably by tomorrow."

He dried his hands and helped Jeff to put on the rest of his clothes. The boy was moving gingerly but at least, he wasn't whimpering with pain.

"Let us get you out on the bed. You should rest some more. It's still too early for lunch and if you're too uncomfortable, we can order take-in," Mark said and was about to open the door when Jeff stopped him.

"Mark, is Kevin and Sean still out there?"

"Yes, they are. Why?"

"Oh, it's just that I don't want them to see me walking out like that, it's embarrassing!" Jeff muttered and twisted the ends of his shirt nervously. He started to gnaw on his bottom lip, looking as if he was figuring a way out to avoid any more embarrassing situations.

Mark smiled. The boy was so cute looking like that and he felt like hugging him. Jeff looked up at him with pleading eyes, "Can I just stay here until they leave?"

Mark shook his head, "They are our close friends but they will tease. Why don't I carry you out? I can say that you're still exhausted if they ask."

Jeff nodded his agreement, "Yes, it would be less embarrassing than seeing me walk."

Mark opened the door and lifted Jeff easily into his arms before making his way out and laying him down on the bed. Glenn was at his side in an instant.

"Jeff, what's wrong? Are you sick?" he asked before placing a hand on his forehead to check if he was running a temperature.

Jeff hesitated before leaning forward to whisper into his ear, "I'm sore down there but I'm okay now. Mark put some ointment on it but you mustn't tell anyone!"

Glenn stared at him and then the sides of his mouth started to twitch. His shoulders quaked, trying to hold the laughter back but it was a losing battle. Glenn started to heave with laughter, tears leaking from his eyes. Jeff's face reddened before it scrunched up with dismay and he buried his face into his pillow.

Mark slapped Glenn at the back of his head, "You've caused him pain! Now, apologize!"

Glenn gasped for breath while trying to pull Jeff towards him but he pushed him away and covered his head with the pillow.

"Jeff, please, I'm really sorry. Please look at me," Glenn pleaded while guffawing with laughter but Jeff ignored him.

Sighing, Mark sat down on the bed and lifted Jeff bodily, pillow and all onto his lap. Realizing that it was Mark who was holding him, Jeff released the pillow and buried his face against Mark's neck, his hands resting on his chest, whining softly. Mark mouthed a word to Glenn, whose eyes lit up. Hurrying towards his bag, he unlocked it and dug out the candy. He took out three small bags and went back to the bed.

Shaking the bags in his hands, Glenn coaxed Jeff, "Look what I have for you, Jeff. Come on, I'll give you all if you would just forgive me."

Jeff peeked against his will, his curiosity aroused.

"Skittles!" he squealed before reaching out to take them from Glenn's hands and moved back to sit on Mark's lap. Happily, he tore the bag open and dug his fingers in.

He pulled out a purple rounded candy and raising his eyes to Mark, offered it to him shyly, "You can have the first one Mark."

He put it near Mark's mouth which opened to accept the sweet gift. Mark's heart filled at the offering, that simple gesture had touched him! Smiling happily, unaware of the effect he had on his big protector, Jeff dug his hands in and pulled out a green one.

He glanced at Glenn, his eyes gleaming mischievously and offered it to him, "You can have this one. It's special!"

Glenn opened his mouth to accept it and in a moment, his face grimaced in distaste as he choked out, "It's sour!"

Jeff giggled, "Serves you right for laughing at me!"

He shrieked and hid his face against Mark's chest when Glenn growled and made to lunge at him and both men chuckled amusingly. Kevin and Sean had been watching them. They were secretly pleased to see the brothers had finally found someone they could call their own. Seeing how well Jeff interacted with them, they knew that he was officially a member of their pack!

While the three men were jostling on the bed, someone knocked on the door. Kevin got up, "I'll get it."

Scott stood outside. "Kev, can I talk to you in private?"

Kevin cocked an eyebrow, "Sure. You want to take it outside?" and Scott nodded.

Once the door was closed, Scott updated him on the latest, ending with Matt's plea for help to talk to Mark and Glenn.

Kevin said, "I don't think it's a good idea. Chris tried to pull a fast one on them. I wouldn't trust him let alone Mark and Glenn!"

"What am I going to tell Matt?" Scott looked exasperated.

"Scotty, you just tell him like it is. You know what Chris is up to and I'm not going to help him get his clutches on the kid. You should have seen how happy those three are together and I'm not going to ruin that for them."

Scott looked unhappy and Kevin sighed, "I'm sure you wouldn't like it if Matt was suddenly taken away from you. We have to do the right thing here. Matt doesn't know Chris like we do. But if it would make things easier, I can talk to him for you."

And just at that moment, Matt found them. Together with Adam and Jay, he hastened towards them.

"What are you doing here? I thought I tell you to stay put?" Scott chastened Matt.

"I'm sorry but I need to talk to Jeff. Is he in there?" Matt asked in a worried tone.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Kevin asked.

"Huh, it's nothing. I just want to talk to him. Can I go in?"

"Wait, Matt. I need to talk to you." Kevin looked at Adam and Jay, "Can we have a moment?" and the Canadians nodded, "We'll see you later, Matt" and left.

Kevin turned to face Matt, "Scotty told me about Chris and I told him no."

Matt opened his mouth to speak but Kevin cut him off, "Before you say anything in Chris' defense, you should know something about him. I'm not saying he's a bad person but he's a shrewd one. If he sets his eyes on something or someone, and in this case, it's your brother, then he'll go all out to get him! Have you seen your brother lately?"

"Just this morning. Why?" Matt asked.

"If you haven't noticed, he's getting along very well with Mark and Glenn and they're like one happy family. Do you want to destroy that by bringing Chris into the picture?"

Matt shook his head, "That has never been my intention but Chris says he just wants to be friends with Jeff."

"And I'm telling you that that's not his true intention! Watch and learn, Matt, don't just take his word for it! You just tell Chris that it's not possible and if he gives you any trouble, you just let me know. I'll deal with him!"

Matt looked remorseful. "I'm sorry for getting you involved but I'll talk to Chris myself. Adam and Jay share the same view as you. I will be more careful the next time."

Kevin smiled warmly at him, "You're new here and it will take a while to know everyone. If you have any doubts, just talk to Scotty or any of us, we would be glad to help. Now, let us get back in before they miss us."

The door opened and what greeted Matt's sight made him groan. Empty bags of skittles littered the bed with Jeff sitting in the middle of it and happily munching away. Mark, Glenn and Sean didn't seem to be bothered by the amount of skittles Jeff was consuming.

"Matty!" Jeff shrieked as he spotted his brother and bounced off the bed to meet him. He suddenly winced and Matt hurried to his side.

"What's wrong Jeffro? Are you hurt?"

Jeff didn't answer but just hugged him so tight that Matt protested laughingly, "Hey, easy now, you have to let me breathe!"

Kevin was right! Jeff was definitely in high spirits, or was it the skittles?

Jeff finally released his hold and beamed at his brother, "Whacha doing here? Is it time for lunch yet?"

"No, I just came to check on you and it looks like you're doing fine!" Matt said as he ran a quick eye over his brother but wait, Jeff did wince!

He looked over at Glenn and Mark, a frown on his face and it didn't escape their attention.

"Did you want to tell us something?" Mark asked politely but the look on Matt's face told him that he was none too pleased with them.

"I told you not to give Jeff too much candy but did you listen? Nooo..."

Glenn interposed, "It's my fault. I only gave him three bags but he was hungry so I gave him more."

"How many did you give him?" Matt looked around, trying to count the number of empty bags. It looked like there were at least twelve!

"Huh, I lost count!" Glenn admitted sheepishly.

Shaking his head, Matt sat his brother on the bed and couldn't help noticing how he started to fidget and bounce on the bed.

He sighed, "We have to take him out and let him lose the energy or you'll never get any sleep tonight!"

"Yay!" Jeff cheered and bounced hard off the bed and this time, an "ouch" emitted from his lips.

Matt turned on Mark and Glenn furiously, "What did you two do to him!"

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No one attracts media attention like Jeff Hardy! The latest news that he was found in possession of drugs and steroids and was probably trafficking was most distressing. It seems his past will never leave him alone. One thing bothers me is the company he keeps and now that he's reviving his band, he's going to get involved with people whom drugs are a common part of their lives. I do not condone drug use and if Jeff is guilty, then he should be penalized and punished. But somehow, I find it hard to believe that he would be hoarding and trafficking in drugs. He definitely doesn't need the money and him on steroids? No way! So the question is why were the drugs found at his place? Did someone left it there while staying over? Girlfriend, friends, relatives, neighbors, band members? And let us face it, Jeff is the main suspect since they were found in his house.

Check out Chris Jericho's twitter. He said and I quote, "Don't think of judging Jeff Hardy until you've walked a mile in his shoes. I will always have Jeff's back…"

I love the man and like him, I believe in Jeff! I hope things aren't as serious as they look because we know how the media loves to exaggerate. I'm praying hard for Jeff!

Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………….


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

I'm facing problems with the website again. I know most of you can't access Chapter 8. Sometimes, you see it and then it's no longer there. I can't even access some of my favorite authors' works and it's damn frustrating!

Anyway, thanks to those who posted their reviews. Don't know if you can view this chapter, but please do send in your reviews if you can, every writer appreciates the effort.

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Chapter 9

It was almost noon and the bar was littered only with a handful of patrons. Raven, Rhyno, Albert and Kanyon sat at the counter with their beer.

"So, we're cool?" Raven asked.

His friends nodded and Rhyno said, "We're cool! Don't worry, I know how it is, just didn't know you have a thing for that kid!" He smiled understandingly.

Albert said, "And we'll take care of the Deadman for you, just say the word!"

Raven glanced around the room before leaning in close. He didn't want anyone to pick up their conversation.

"Thanks but can you keep it down? I don't want any of his friends to tip him or Kane off! And keep this from Bradshaw too! He doesn't want to go against the Deadman and I don't want him breathing down my neck if he got a hold of this!"

Bradshaw had declined the invitation to join them, saying he had some business to attend to. It was the perfect opportunity for Raven to try and win them over to his side. The three men were taken aback and looked at each other uneasily. Bradshaw was their leader and they weren't comfortable about keeping secrets from him.

Raven noticed and assured them quickly, "Hey, it is okay, we're not doing anything wrong, I just want some payback! Bradshaw should have tried to seek redress for me but instead, he chose to avoid a confrontation with them! If he was in my shoes, I wouldn't have sat back and done nothing!" The others nodded and murmured their agreement.

"We're with you, Birdman! So, what do you need from us?" Rhyno asked.

Raven thought deeply and finally raised his eyes to meet them.

"When the time is right, I will need your help to distract the Brothers of Destruction. It would be foolish for us to try to take them on. Even with the four of us pitted against them, they may still be able to turn the tide against us. And you mustn't forget that they are tight with Kevin so they have reinforcements."

Raven lowered his voice and informed them in a conspiratorial whisper, "I have a plan! I know how to humiliate them the worst way possible and the way I see it, all I have to do is to get that pretty blonde away from them! And once I'm through with him, I'll return his battered body and soul to them as a reminder as to what poor keepers they are! What do you guys think of that?"

The three men were left dumbfounded and Rhyno finally blurted out his admiration, "Damn, you're a wicked one to come up with such a plan, it is brilliant! I can see their faces right now! They would have seen themselves as utter failures for failing to even protect the only member in their pack! What humiliation! Raven, I think you've just taken this game to a new level!"

He raised his bottle to toast to his ingenuity and everyone did likewise, "To Raven and our success!" They clank their bottles together and drank.

Would they succeed in their devious plan?

~*~

"Watch yourself Matt!" Kevin warned as he placed himself between Matt and the fearsome duo. Glenn fixed Matt with a deadly glare and took a menacing step forward but Mark held him back, shaking his head.

"What the hell are you doing, Angel?" Scott hissed as he tried to pull Matt away to safety but he swatted his hand away.

"Both of them hurt Jeffro, that's what's wrong!" Matt shouted as he glared back at the brothers.

Mark frowned before asking quietly, "Explain what you mean by that."

Matt opened his mouth, ready to hurl his accusations and then his eyes fell on his baby brother. Jeff was watching him with wide eyes, mouth gaped open in shock. Matt groaned. He didn't want to broach the subject in front of his baby brother.

"Matt? You better explain yourself, now!"

Kevin was getting exasperated with him and everyone was waiting for him to speak up. Scott was rendered speechless by his behavior.

Matt looked desperate, he needed to get it out in the open but he couldn't do it in front of Jeff. Seeing no other way out, he pushed his protesting brother into the bathroom while the others watched with muted astonishment.

"Just stay in there for five minutes, Jeff! There's something I need to talk to them and it's not meant for your ears!" Matt explained quickly before closing the door on him but he managed just to catch Jeff's protests, "But Matty, they didn't hurt me! What are you talking about?"

Matt shouted behind the closed door, "Just don't come out until I tell you to!"

He got a whine of protest for response but the door stayed close. Breathing a sigh of relief, Matt turned back to the others.

"Start explaining yourself!" Kevin said impatiently and Scott went to stand beside Matt, getting all defensive.

"Can we all just calm down? I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this."

He turned to Matt with a puzzled look, "Jeff looks fine. What makes you think that Mark and Glenn hurt him?"

Matt glanced at the bathroom door to make sure that it remained close.

Walking closer towards the others so that Jeff couldn't hear him, he hissed out, "Jeff's in pain! I saw him wince in pain! Ask them what they did to him!" He clenched his fists and looked over accusingly at the two brothers.

For the second time that morning, Glenn found himself quaking with laughter. Mark tried to hide his smile but his restraint broke and soon, he was chuckling. Kevin and Sean joined in the laughter and before long, everyone was laughing uproariously, with the exception of Matt. He stood there, stupefied.

"Didn't you hear me? It's not funny, my brother's hurt! Doesn't anyone care?" Matt tried to make himself heard above the din but everyone was doubled up with mirth. He folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently and sulked, waiting for the laughter to die down which it finally did.

Glenn wiped the tears from his eyes and spoke between gasps, "Oh God! I haven't laughed so hard in my life!" He turned to Mark, "You want to tell him or should I?"

Mark cleared his throat and gave Matt an amused look before asking, "What do you think happen, Matt?" He decided to take over the situation, Glenn might not take too kindly if Matt was to get in his face again.

Matt yelled, "You two double teamed my Jeffro! He's only a baby and you guys hurt him! I told you that he has never been with anyone before! How could you! I trusted you to keep him safe and look what you've done to him!

Mark and Glenn were left stunned and slowly Glenn realized what Matt was thinking. His eyes twinkled mischievously and he said, "Double penetration huh? Hmm, now, that's a thought!" he snickered and got a slap on the back of his head from Mark.

"Can you be serious for once?" Mark frowned at him before turning back to Matt.

"Look Matt. We didn't, like you say, double team Jeff. I admit he's kind of sore but it's only to be expected when you have intimate relations with men our size. Ask him if you don't believe us!"

It was Matt's turn to look stunned. He suddenly felt foolish. Oh God, he had just made a fool of himself in front of everyone and it was all Adam's fault for putting that idea in his head!

Scott chuckled before pulling him close and kissed him on the head, "Where did you get that idea in your head? Did those two put it there?" He was referring to Adam and Jay. Who else could it be? The last time he checked, he had left Matt in their care.

Kevin shook his head, "Matt, didn't I just tell you to check first before arriving at any conclusions? Now, do you have something to say to Mark and Glenn?"

Matt looked up embarrassingly and apologized, "I'm truly sorry guys for jumping at you like that, I should have checked first!"

Mark and Glenn nodded and Glenn said, "We accept your apology on Jeff's account but you have to be the one to explain to him what the drama was all about!" and sniggered at Matt's pained expression.

He started to move towards the bathroom to let Jeff out but Matt stopped him, "I'll get him. I guess I've some explaining to do. Can you give us a moment?"

Hanging his head down in shame, Matt went to pull open the bathroom door and was shocked to see his brother crying before him.

"Jeffro, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Matt asked anxiously as he reached out for him but Jeff pushed him away, "Get away from me! How could you?"

Matt looked baffled and Glenn stepped around him to pull Jeff into his arms. He readily moved into the comfort of those protective arms and leaned his head against his chest, sobbing quietly.

"You want to tell me what's wrong?" Glenn cooed softly as he rubbed his back while throwing Matt a questioning look. Matt shrugged his shoulders, not having a clue as to why Jeff was upset with him!

"Jeff, did I say something wrong?" Matt probed as he tried to think back what he had said.

Jeff's eyes welled up with fresh tears and he sobbed out, "You told everyone!"

His sobbing grew louder and Matt pleaded with him, "Please Jeff, I don't know what you're talking about. What did I say to upset you? Just tell me!" There was one thing he couldn't take and that was to see his baby brother crying his heart out!

Jeff gasped out in between sobs, "You told them that I was a virgin! You promised not to tell and now everyone knows and they will make fun of me!"

He buried his face against Glenn's chest and sobbed harder. Glenn's mouth twitched but he restrained himself not to laugh out aloud. Matt was already in trouble with Jeff and he didn't want to end up in the same boat as him.

_Oh God!_ Matt thought furiously. _He must have heard me! What am I going to do?_

Matt's eyes pleaded with Glenn for help and he nodded. Lifting Jeff into his arms like he was a baby, he carried him out and sat on the bed, holding on to him. Mark, Kevin, Sean and Scott looked on with bewilderment. What the hell was going on?

"Come on now tweety, stop crying, Matty's really, really sorry for the stupid things he said."

Matt gave Glenn a pointed look, only Jeff was allowed to call him Matty and damn it, he wasn't stupid!

Glenn grinned wickedly at Matt before going back to his task, "If you stop crying, Matty promises to take you out later this evening to that big amusement centre just a few blocks away and you can play all the games you want and eat anything you want!"

Jeff sniffled softly and peeked at Matt, "You really mean that?" he murmured forlornly.

Matt would do anything to make his brother smile again and he nodded fervently and said, "Anything your heart desires, Jeffro!"

Jeff's lower lips quivered and reaching out for his brother, he cried, "Oh Matty!"

Everyone in the room breathed out a sigh of relief as they watched the two brothers hugged, all was well again! Glenn grinned widely, pleased with his mediation skills.

It had been an eventful morning and the group decided to spend the day together after seeing how desperately Matt and Jeff needed to bond after their slight altercation. They decided to laze at the outdoor pool and soak in the sun and then head off to the amusement centre for lunch and some fun and games. Dinner would follow and maybe a couple of drinks at the bar and then, they would retire to bed. The planned activities would take care of Jeff's pent-up energy. Matt asked if Adam and Jay could join them and was glad to receive a nod of approval from Kevin. He decided to hold off talking to Chris until the following day and hoped he wouldn't meet him in any of the places they were going to.

They arranged to meet at the pool in half an hour and each group made their way back to their rooms to get changed. Jeff started to clear away the empty wrappers from the bed and rummaged his bag for something to wear. He started pulling out his clothes and threw them haphazardly on the bed. Mark and Glenn had a clear idea where it was leading to. They nodded to each other, coming to a mutual agreement. Changing quickly into swim shorts and pulling on t-shirts, they slid their shades to the top of their heads and waited for Jeff to put on something appropriate. They had to work fast!

Jeff pulled on a pair of neon green beach shorts with a short-sleeve pale yellow top and turned towards the brothers. "Do I look okay?" he asked anxiously before turning around to examine himself in the mirror.

Both men nodded and said enthusiastically, "It's perfect!" and Mark said, "You look great, Jeff, now, lets go!" and without giving Jeff a chance to change his mind, Glenn heaved him over his shoulder, taking the opportunity to grope his ass, grinning gleefully.

Jeff squeaked and tried to get him to put him down but Glenn wasn't about to let go of his precious cargo. He laughed sinisterly as he carried the squirming and protesting blonde out the door. Mark locked the door and followed behind the noisy duo. Shaking his head, he muttered, "Kids!"

They made a quick stop to pick up some suntan lotion and Mark's eyes fell on the tubes of lube displayed. His eyes widened at the variety and picking up one casually, he read out softly the printed words, "Lemon-flavored, it tastes as good as his cum". He grinned and shook his head, what will they come up next!

"What do you have there?" Glenn suddenly appeared from behind him and studied the display in front of them. He sniggered when he saw the lube and picked one up at random. It was strawberry-flavored and he handed it to Mark, "Add this to the one you have, we're going to need lots of it!" He chuckled and made his way to Jeff who was eagerly examining the hair color packs displayed.

Taking his purchases, Mark went up to them and asked, "You need anything Jeff?"

Jeff chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully before shaking his head and returned the color pack to its shelf. He followed Mark to the counter but Glenn stopped to study the item that Jeff seemed interested in. He decided to come back and get it for Jeff later. After paying for the items, the three men made their way to the pool. There was no one there besides them. Grabbing the towels off the bench laid out for guests, they made their way to the deck chairs and spread the towels on top of them. The three men pulled off their shirts and Mark started to lavish the lotion over the uncovered parts of his body. He passed the bottle to Glenn who did likewise. Mark turned to see what Jeff was doing and saw him standing at poolside. He was testing the water with his foot. His blonde hair dazzled under the sun and Mark noticed, for the first time, how fair-skinned Jeff was.

He called out to him, "Jeff, come over here and put some lotion on. You don't want to get sunburn."

Jeff obediently walked back to them. Glenn poured a generous amount of lotion onto his palm and started rubbing it behind Jeff's back and neck region while Jeff applied it to his chest and legs. He squirmed and giggled when Glenn deliberately moved his hand to his side to tickle him. They sat down to wait for the others who joined them shortly after. Soon, everyone was having a great time in the pool.

Glenn was grappling with Jeff in the pool, who was unfortunately getting dunked each and every time he tried to put the big man down. He came up spluttering and whined, "It's not fair!" Everyone laughed.

"You have to get bigger Jeff if you're to beat me! Mark and I will start training you from tomorrow, we'll help you build up your body!"

Mark nodded his agreement, "You're fast but you need to be strong to take down your heavier opponents. We'll start you on a regimen to build up your strength and see how it goes."

Jeff whooped with glee and jumped into Glenn's arms, hugging him tightly around his neck, "We are going to be the best of all teams!" he cheered loudly.

"Hey! What about us?" Matt called from the side, "Remember, the Hardy Boyz?"

"Oh…" Jeff paused to think and then beamed at his brother, "The Hardy Boyz will just be as awesome as the Brothers of Destruction!"

Everyone chortled at his conclusion. Their attention was suddenly diverted when Shawn and Hunter walked out. Everyone shouted out their greetings, all except for Mark who remained silent. Shawn and Hunter had spotted their friends from their bedroom window and decided to join them. Shawn hesitated just for a moment before making his way towards Mark who was lying on the deck chair after a quick dip. He decided to try to talk to Mark, Hunter followed him from behind.

Glenn glanced around. There wasn't anyone else at the pool except for them. Good, he could test his theory. He whispered to Jeff, "Go sit on Mark's lap and go mushy all over him!"

Jeff stared at him with surprise, "Wha.. what?"

"Just do it, I'll explain to you later!" he said and pushed Jeff along.

Jeff turned to ask him, "What am I suppose to do again?" and Glenn said, "Play with his hair or something, or cuddle him, he'll take the lead from there. Now, just go!"

Jeff climbed out of the pool, dripping wet. Everyone immediately turned their eyes to him. His wet curls framed his gorgeous face and curled around his shoulders. Beads of water trickled sensuously down his lithe frame to the band of his beach shorts which clung, wet to his lower body, showing off his taut ass. Glenn couldn't help letting out a soft groan. He swallowed hard. Thank God he was in the water, little Glenn had awakened! He waited to see the others' reactions, especially Mark's.

Mark deliberately ignored Shawn and Hunter and slid his shades over his eyes. He lay back, resting comfortably against the deck chair. Shawn and Hunter looked foolishly at each other before sitting themselves down a couple of chairs away. Jeff approached Mark and glanced back to Glenn who urged him on with his eyes.

Sighing softly, he turned his attention to his task. Glenn said to sit on Mark's lap and cuddle him and he did exactly that. Without second thoughts, Mark wrapped his arms around him and pulled him on top of him. Jeff closed his eyes and relaxed against him as Mark caressed his back in soft strokes. He gasped out softly when Mark moved his hands down to knead his globes, burying his face against his neck to hide his blush.

Mark sighed softly into his ear, "You feel so good in my arms!" before placing a tender kiss on his forehead. He closed his eyes in contentment with Jeff lying cozily in his arms. Glenn grinned widely, pleased with the outcome. By displaying his affections openly again, it was clear that Mark was recovering from his heartbreak and Glenn knew they had a lot to thank Jeff for it!

Shawn and Hunter got up quietly without a word and slipped into the pool, leaving Mark and Jeff to enjoy their private moment. Adam and Jay pulled their eyes away from Mark and Jeff, those two looked so hot together! Jay seemed to be in a daze and Adam's eyes gleamed with mischief. He splashed water at him, rousing him from his reverie.

"What was that for?" Jay complained and Adam smirked, "You were so engrossed with them, hmm, did you just turn gay on me?" he said in a teasing tone.

"Hell, no! It's just that … well … huh …" He leaned in closer and said in a hushed voice, "Don't you think that was kind of hot?"

Adam fixed him with an uneasy gaze before leaning over and whispered back, "Okay, I agree but don't tell anyone I said that! It stays between us, you hear?"

Jay nodded his agreement and both men laid back to soak in the sun, trying to ignore their thoughts, since when did they find man-on-man hot? Shawn and Hunter were conversing with Kevin and Sean in low whispers at the other end of the pool while Matt and Scott sat on the pool steps.

"Your brother is in safe hands," Scott said as they watched Glenn climbed out to lay back on the deck chair beside his brother and Jeff, "I don't see why you're so worried."

Matt sighed as he looked at Jeff dozing lightly under the sun in Mark's arms, "You have to be in Jeff's shoes to know what it feels like to be him. The attention he gets is not always good. Adam told me what happened this morning with Raven and … I don't know, Scotty, that man makes me feel uneasy, I'm afraid for Jeff!"

Scott pulled him into his arms and assured him, "Don't worry, Mark and Glenn would not let anything happen to him. Besides, the Kliq will watch out for him too! No one will dare mess with us!"

Matt leaned into the comfort of his arms, "I hope you're right, Scotty."

After another hour in the sun, the group made their way back to their rooms to get cleaned up. They had arranged to drive to the amusement centre in separate cars and Shawn and Hunter decided to join them. Shawn decided that he would find an opportune time to talk to Mark somehow and if he wasn't receptive, the place was big enough for them to stay out of each other's way!

They made it there in no time and decided to feast on burgers, hotdogs, fries and sundaes, a subtle choice made by Jeff. There were so many games that Jeff couldn't decide which to play first. It was the first time he had actually walked into one since they really couldn't afford to visit such places.

Matt pulled out his money purse but Mark stopped him, "I'm paying, you just keep that away."

Matt opened his mouth to protest but Scotty tugged on his arm, "Don't squabble with Mark, Angel" and Matt reluctantly accepted his offer, thanking him softly.

Mark nodded and walked to the counter to pay for the game tokens with Hunter, Kevin and Scott following behind. Glenn, Jeff, Matt, Shawn and Sean went in different directions to check out the games. After almost two and a half hours of fun, they decided to call it quits, deciding to walk around the mall to do some shopping. Jeff was still fairly hyper. The candy effect had not totally worn out yet. Browsing through the stores, the men picked up some items; clothes, hair brushes and belts.

While they were busy, Glenn followed Jeff to the cosmetics section, wearing a quizzical look on his face. Jeff was studying the nail varnishes while glancing around to make sure that Matt didn't see him. He looked at the assorted colors and picked up a dark blue nail polish and checked out the price. His face beamed, he decided to buy it.

"What are you doing?" a voice spoke out suddenly from behind him, startling him and he almost dropped the bottle. He gulped and turned around to face his brother, preparing himself for the reprimand he knew was forthcoming. His eyes widened in surprise and Glenn growled. Standing before them wasn't Matt.

Chris ignored Glenn but greeted Jeff with a wide smile, "Don't tell me you wear nail polish?"

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Thanks for your reviews and I'm really glad to see some new names on the review post. Welcome to my world!

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Chapter 10

"What the hell are you doing here?" Glenn growled as he moved to stand between Chris and Jeff. "We warned you to stay away from Jeff! Are you stalking him now?"

Chris frowned, "I'm not stalking anyone! I was just passing by and I saw you guys. Anyways, I don't need to explain to you why I'm here and I sure as hell can come and go wherever I please!" he retorted.

Glenn's eyes narrowed, disliking the note of defiance in Chris' voice but the dumb ass was right. He could go wherever he pleased and he couldn't stop him but it didn't mean that he had to let that clown feast his eyes on his pretty tweety!

Pulling Jeff away, he warned Chris, "You better not be following us!"

Chris turned to watch them leave, praying that Jeff would at least turn to look at him. He perked up when Jeff did exactly that and he caught the shy friendly smile on the little blonde's face. Chris grinned widely and continued to watch until Jeff disappeared from view. Now, if only Matt came through for him, he would be able to hang out with Jeff and get to know him. And just about then, he spotted Matt and Scott at the corner of his eye.

Chris quickly made his way to them, calling out. "Matt!"

Matt turned. _Oh God, it's Chris! Mark and Glenn are not going to like this if they see him here! _

"Hi Scott, can I talk to Matt alone?" Chris asked politely.

Scott looked uncertain but Matt touched his arm to reassure him, "It is okay, Scotty, this won't take long."

Scott nodded and moved off but kept Matt within his visual. He knew what they would be discussing and wanted to stay close just in case Matt needed him.

"So, did you manage to talk to Mark and Glenn yet?" Chris asked anxiously.

Matt fidgeted before confessing, "To be honest with you Chris, I haven't talked to either one as yet. But, I really don't think they're going to let you anywhere near Jeff after that stunt you pulled."

Chris' face fell and Matt quickly added, "I've some good news for you though. I've spoken to Adam and Jay and they said everything's good. Hey, here they are!"

Matt was thankful for his friends' timely intervention because Chris really looked upset and he didn't know what else to say to him.

"Hey Chris, are we glad to see you here!" Adam greeted him but Chris responded listlessly.

"Yeah man, I'll see you around." He moved off, looking devastated.

They stared after him and Adam finally spoke up, "What's wrong with him?"

Matt sighed, "He asked if I've talked to Mark and Glenn yet and I told him that it's not going to happen. He's really upset. I feel so bad for making those promises to him!"

"Chris isn't such a bad guy once you get to know him. I really admire his guts for facing up to Mark and Glenn and even now, he still hasn't given up! Why don't you try talking to Mark and Glenn first? If you can vouch for him, they may even consider it. Don't forget, you're Jeff's brother, you should at least have a say in this," Jay said.

Scott overheard the last bit as he joined them, "It's not so simple. Mark and Glenn are wary of Chris because they're afraid that he might steal Jeff away from them."

"But why would they think that?" Matt asked and Adam and Jay nodded. Was there something they had missed?

Scott hesitated but decided that it was best to reveal the truth so that they could understand the brothers' feelings on the situation.

"It's no big secret but you guys are new here, so you may not have heard about the brothers' situation. Mark and Shawn used to be an item until they had a fall out. Mark and Glenn always stayed together because Glenn couldn't stay with anyone else. He's not an easy person to get along with. When Shawn insisted that he moved out, Mark knew that Glenn would end up staying alone and it just didn't seem right to abandon his brother so he and Shawn argued over it. Their problems culminated when Shawn said something that hurt Mark deeply."

The guys raised their eyebrows questionably and Scott sighed, "It was really stupid. He accused Mark of having an incestuous relationship with Glenn. They mutually agreed to break off and went their separate ways, deciding to take some time to rethink their relationship. But Shawn got together with Hunter and they have been together since then. Mark hasn't been with anyone since the breakup, not because of lack of suitors but I think it's because he's afraid history may repeat itself. As for Glenn, well, nobody understands or made an attempt to know him, until Jeff came along. We were all taken by surprise at how well they connected the first time they met. Just look at them now, you can see how well the brothers and Jeff bond together. Those brothers used to live in recluse but they're out socializing and having a good time and it's all because of Jeff, he made it happen! Now, let me ask you this, if you were either of those men, would you let anyone as attractive and charming as Chris come into the picture and possibly ruin everything?"

The three men saw Scott's point and nodded, they finally understood why Mark and Glenn were so guarded.

"It's pretty hard not to empathize with them but I'm surprised that they are both so willing to share Jeff, because if it was me, I wouldn't be so generous!" Adam said solemnly and Matt smacked him on the arm.

"Ouch, that hurts!" Adam complained, rubbing his arm.

"Stop talking about my brother like he's a toy!" Matt chastened him before turning to Scott.

"I can understand why Mark made that ultimate sacrifice. He must have truly cared for his brother a lot. They remind me of Jeff and I, we care for each other and find it difficult to stay apart for long. I'm really glad that they don't have to be lonely anymore, that Jeff just filled that void in their lives."

Jay frowned and then muttered, "What about Chris? He's also lonely."

The three men looked at him in surprise and Adam asked in disbelief, "Are you actually feeling sorry for him?"

"Well, he has been our friend for the past month! Can't you see how upset he is?"

Jay huffed before turning on his heels, "I'm going to look for him. He may still be moping around somewhere in the building, and he's all alone!"

Adam hesitated momentarily before hurrying after Jay, "Wait for me, I'll come with you!"

"I hope they can help Chris come out of his doldrums," Matt said.

"They will. Now, why don't we go look for the others?"

They finally found Glenn and Jeff as they were paying for their purchases. Matt saw Jeff holding onto a bag and frowned.

"Where did you get the money to buy stuff Jeffro?" he inquired.

"I saved up some from the allowance Daddy gave me," Jeff said, trying to avoid his brother's eyes and clutching the bag tightly.

Matt looked at him closely and knew that Jeff was hiding something from him. His little brother couldn't lie to save his life! The telltale signs were there, by his refusal to look into his eyes and that he was chewing on his lip nervously.

"What did you get?" Matt lifted a hand, intending to check the contents in the bag.

"He bought a pair of Scooby Doo boxers," Glenn said quickly, coming to Jeff's rescue.

Jeff nodded emphatically and said, "Yes, I wanted a pair for the longest time and it's on sale so I bought it!"

Matt didn't believe him but decided to let it go when he saw how displeased Glenn was with him. He tried to explain himself.

"It's not that I'm controlling or anything. I just don't want Jeff to spend your money. I have yet to pay you back for the drinks last night and Mark was kind enough to pay for the games today. I really feel bad for imposing on all of you!" He said apologetically.

"I told you not to worry about the drinks but you're just too plain stubborn! Anyway, you don't owe me anything as your boyfriend here has already taken care of it!" Glenn gave Scott a sardonic grin.

Matt threw Scott a questioning look. He scratched his head guiltily and admitted, "Well, I might as well since I drank almost half the bar!"

Matt shook his head. He would have to try to get Scotty to lay off drinking so much and somehow make it up to him for footing the bill. They left the store and went looking for the others and saw Kevin and the other Kliq members just coming out of a sex toy shop with bags in their hands.

"What did you get?" Glenn asked, excited at his find. He didn't know there was one located in the building.

Hunter and Shawn sniggered and Sean chuckled, "Not telling, go get your own!"

Kevin just grinned, seemingly very pleased with their latest acquisitions and Glenn couldn't resist.

"Come on tweets, lets go in and take a look," he said eagerly, pulling an aghast Jeff along.

"Hey!" Matt looked horrified and moved up to stop him. His brother was still too naïve to be exposed to these toys but Scott pulled him back.

"Angel, you need to let Jeff go. He's with Glenn and Mark now. Let them take care of him."

"But, Jeff is only 19!"

"And already has mind-blowing sex with two dominant males!" Scott gave him a scorching look. "Stop treating him like a seven-year old, he needs to get around and learn stuff. You're stifling him with your behavior!" he chastened.

Matt folded his arms and sulked. He couldn't help mothering Jeff, it was all he knew since their mama died but Scotty was right. He had to let him go, someday, just not now! He moved quickly and ran into the shop before Scott could stop him. Scott sighed before following Matt in. He might as well check out the latest toys.

~*~

In the meantime, Mark was browsing in another store in the building. Some jewelry caught his attention and on a whim, he decided to get identical bracelets for Glenn, Jeff and himself. That boy had wormed his way to his heart, managing to tug at his heartstrings when he thought he could no longer feel love for anyone. And Glenn, his baby brother whom he cared more than his own life, had unselfishly shared Jeff's love with him. Both of them had been lonely for so long and he was thankful that they finally found someone whom they could share and love without worrying if the other brother would be left out in the cold. He wanted each of them to wear something to show their unified bond.

He examined the designs and remained undecided. Maybe he should get Glenn and Jeff's opinions? He smiled, they're a unit now. He would get them to come with him and they could choose the design collectively. He hurried out the shop after informing the saleslady that he would be coming back.

~*~

"Are you sure this can even fit in?" Jeff asked in awe as he examined a giant dildo. He gasped suddenly when it vibrated in his hands. He had pressed the on-button accidentally.

Glenn sniggered and took the dildo from him to put it back on the shelf, "We don't need that, mine's more impressive!" making Jeff blushed to his roots.

They were thankful not to have Matt breathing down their necks as Scott was keeping him busy at the back of the store. Scotty had practically dragged him away, telling him to leave Jeff alone. Matt had opened his mouth to protest only to find Scott's mouth covering his and he had yielded to his demands.

"Glenn, can we go now?" Jeff said in a small voice as the salesman gave him a lecherous grin while looking him over lasciviously.

Something in his tone caught Glenn's attention and he looked up. Following Jeff's line of sight, he caught the salesman in the act of running his eyes down Jeff's body. Glenn turned towards him menacingly, "Are you checking out my boyfriend?"

The salesman gulped as Glenn approached him. Shaking his head fervently, he stammered, "No … no sir!"

"You better not!" Glenn threatened him as he put his purchases and credit card on the counter. "Charge them!"

After taking the bag and his card from the visibly shaken salesman, Glenn called out to the back, "Hey Scotty, you're done yet? We're out of here!"

There were rustling sounds and a disheveled Matt and tousled haired Scott made their way towards them. Jeff giggled and Matt gave him a sheepish smile.

"Matty, your fly's open!" Jeff informed him amidst giggles.

Matt's hand moved quickly to zip up and he mumbled, "Thanks Jeffro."

They left the store but not before Glenn sent a glare towards the salesman. The salesman breathed a sigh of relief as he watched them leave, feeling safe to ogle at Jeff's sashaying ass. He muttered, "Lucky bastard!"

Mark met them coincidentally as they were coming down the escalators as he was going up. He gestured to them to wait for him and went back down.

"Come on, I've something to show you," he urged Glenn and Jeff along while Matt and Scott followed behind.

They made their way to the store and Jeff's eyes lit up. He had just noticed the sign displayed outside the shop. He longed to get his ears pierced but knew Matt wouldn't allow it. He sighed, maybe next time. Mark pulled his attention towards the rows of bracelets that the sales lady was taking out from the display shelves. Glenn was already checking them out.

"I thought of getting identical bracelets for each of us. What do you think?" Mark informed them, not wanting to elaborate. He didn't want to reveal his true feelings on the subject.

Glenn studied his brother's face and a grin slowly appeared on his face. He understood.

Nodding his agreement, he said, "I think it's a great idea!"

Mark looked pleased and turned to Jeff, "Jeff?"

Jeff bounced on his feet excitedly, "I love it! Let me see what we'll be wearing!"

Mark beamed at them, "They have many beautiful designs, why don't we go through them and decide together?"

As the three men went through the selections, Scotty pulled Matt over to study a dazzling array of necklaces. He was extremely fond of them and owned a large collection. He wanted to get one for Matt.

"Angel, which of these do you like?" he asked as he fingered them.

Matt assumed that Scott wanted to buy it for himself and bent to the task. A thick silver chain with intricate links caught his eye. He held it up, studying its intricate design and smiled.

"This one, it's charming!" Matt said as he handed it over to Scott for his inspection.

Scott smiled and nodded, "Now, what about getting a pendant to go with it?"

He guided Matt to a separate section where there was an assortment of pendants displayed. They looked expensive with inlaid diamonds, precious stones and crystals. Matt glanced through them and picked up a glossy black onyx stone with a platinum clasp. It felt cool and smooth to the touch.

"This looks good, try it on," he told Scotty.

Scott linked the chain through the clasp and put it around Matt's neck. He gasped and started to protest, "No, Scotty!"

But Scott chose to ignore him and locked the chain before standing back to survey the whole package. The contrast of black on silver stood out magnificently against Matt's tanned skin.

He turned to the saleslady, "I'll take this" and handed her his credit card.

"Scotty, I can't accept this! And you didn't even check the price!" Matt protested, trying to remove the jewelry but Scott put his hands over his.

"Please don't argue with me and just accept the gift, it will make me happy," Scott said.

Matt hesitated and Scott pressed on, "Mark is getting something for his team and you're not only my team mate but my soul mate as well. I want to do this, please don't turn me down!"

Matt reluctantly conceded and murmured his thanks. Scott pulled him close to kiss him, whispering softly, "Thank you for loving me!" and Matt smiled adoringly up at him, "Oh Scotty!"

Their private moment was interrupted.

"Matty!" Jeff gasped as he saw the jewelry around his neck, "It's gorgeous!" he gushed with admiration, making his brother blushed.

"Scotty bought it for me," Matt admitted and glanced shyly at his protector and lover.

"Come and see what we've got, they're beautiful!" Jeff said excitedly as the saleslady came back with the identical bracelets. They were made of platinum with three diamonds inlaid on its surface and Mark had the first letters of their names, 'M J G' engraved at the back.

Matt and Scott gasped. They must have cost a fortune!

Jeff informed them in an important voice filled with pride, "Mark said the diamonds represent each of us and that our bond will be forever and everlasting like the stones!"

"Put it on for Jeff, Mark," Glenn said as he wound the piece of jewelry around his wrist and clasped it. It looked so good and he felt his heart warmed over as he looked over at Mark and Jeff putting on theirs. But there was a problem, the bracelet was too big and kept slipping off Jeff's smaller wrist.

Mark took it off and said, "Wear it around your ankle then, just put your right leg on the chair."

Jeff did as told and Mark clasped it around his ankle, "There, it looks good, doesn't it?"

Jeff suddenly burst into tears. Startled, Mark enveloped him in his arms, "What's wrong little one?" he asked softly.

Jeff choked out against his chest, "It's so beautiful …. Thank you!"

Mark smiled as he hugged him tight and whispered endearingly into his ear, "Thank you bits, for coming into our lives!"

Everyone suddenly wore a misty look, overwhelmed by the touching scene. Glenn moved towards his brother and Jeff and they shared a group hug with Jeff in between them. The two brothers laughed as Jeff tried to encompass both of them in his arms.

Scott wrapped his arm around Matt as they watched the heartwarming scene and said, "It looks like the little bird has found its way home, right into their hearts! I'm really glad things turn out well for them!"

Matt smiled and nodded, "I know that Jeff is now in safe hands. I don't need to worry about him anymore!"

Scott grinned down at him, "So, does this mean I have your full attention now?"

"You bet! So, what do you have in mind?" Matt asked.

Scott leaned down to whisper in his ear, "What say we ditch this place and go back to the hotel?"

~*~

"There he is! Chris, wait up!" Adam and Jay made their way towards their fellow Canadian who had been walking aimlessly for the past half hour.

Chris frowned, "Are you following me?"

Adam looked at Jay who stammered, "Huh … well … we … huh … just want to know if you're okay."

"I'm still alive, aren't I?" Chris said in an exasperated tone before walking away.

Adam nudged Jay and said, "I don't think he wants our company."

"He's upset! We shouldn't let him be by himself! Come on, let us just follow him."

Jay walked briskly and Adam shook his head before following suit. Chris saw their reflections on the shop windows and stopped to confront them.

"Will you stop following me? What do you guys want?" he asked with a scowl on his face.

"Hey, stop behaving like an ass! We're just worried about you, okay?" Adam retorted.

Chris looked remorseful, "I'm sorry, it's just that you caught me in a bad time" he said with a sigh.

"We know, Matt told us but hey, it isn't the end of the world!" Jay tried to console him.

"It sure feels like it!" Chris muttered under his breath.

"Come on, Chris. Why, of all people, do you have to hanker after Jeff?"

Adam tried to appeal to his sound mind. Chris seemed to have a death wish or something. It didn't look like he was going to give up any time yet!

"Because he's cute and he's gorgeous, and … and I like him, a lot! Now, can you please leave me alone?"

He made to turn away until Jay spoke up, "You really like him that much? I think I can arrange for the both of you to meet."

Adam hissed at him, "Jay! What the hell are you doing?" but Jay ignored him and kept his eyes on Chris who was suddenly giving him his full attention.

Chris stared at him in disbelief, momentarily stunned.

"You can do that?" he finally asked and Jay nodded. "If that's what you want but I'll not be responsible for your physical welfare if Mark and Glenn find out."

"Wait a minute, you guys! Have you both lost your minds? Just listen to yourselves! Do you have any idea what those two would do to you if they find out?" Adam looked wildly at both of them. What the hell was wrong with them?

"I know what I'm doing but what about you, Jay? Why do you want to get yourself involved in my business?" Chris asked quietly.

"Because you've taken us under your wings since we joined and I consider you my friend. If you need help, then I'm going to give it to you!" Jay said.

Chris' mouth slowly crooked into a smile, "Thanks for the offer but what makes you so sure that you can get Jeff out from under their noses?"

"You forgot that Adam and I have known Matt and Jeff way back in training school. I can tell Mark and Glenn that the four of us just want to get together and catch up on old times. I don't think they will object."

"Jay, think twice before you do anything stupid, I don't like this!" Adam tried to coax Jay to change his mind and Chris looked at him, "Whose side are you on anyway? I thought we are friends!"

"No offense Chris, but this is not right! Jeff has been spoken for. He belongs with Mark and Glenn!"

Adam turned back to Jay, "Think about what you're doing, have you no conscience? You can't do this to them, not after what they've been through!"

Jay's conscience did prick him then. His concern for Chris had blinded his sound reasoning. He opened his mouth, about to tell Chris that he was sorry that he couldn't do it but Chris saw it coming.

"Don't bother. I'll deal with this myself! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to the hotel."

He turned and walked briskly away. And this time, Adam and Jay didn't follow him.

There was a moment of silence before Adam said hesitatingly, "We've been friends for a long time and we know each other pretty well. But, if I'm reading the signs correctly, I would say that something just happened."

He paused before asking his close friend and confidante, "Jay? Are you in love with Chris?"

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There is not going to be any straight guys left in the roster after I'm through with this fic! (hehe)

I still have to reveal a couple of pairings. I was watching the WWE Ladder Match DVD (which explains for this slightly late update) and boy oh boy, possible pairings kept popping into my head! I will see where my muses take me.

Thank you for reading and don't forget to review.

Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………………….


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Thank you for your wonderful reviews, I love them! For Shawter fans, the following smut scene is for you! And, (ahem) I threw in a little Jeff/Mark in here too, just couldn't resist! Enjoy!

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Chapter 11

"Jay?" Adam called out but he just stood there, wearing a confused look on his face.

Adam stared at his buddy for several seconds before saying quietly, "You don't know yourself, do you?"

Jay sighed in exasperation, running his fingers through his hair, "I don't know anything anymore! I thought I'll be of some help but I'm only making things worse, for everyone!"

He turned to leave but Adam stopped him, "Talk to me! We've got nothing to hide from each other, you know that!"

Jay raised his eyes to look up at him and smiled gratefully, "Yeah, I know. It's just that I don't know what I'm feeling, it could just be friendship." He shook his head before adding, "I haven't figured it out yet but when I do, you'll be the first to know."

Adam put an arm around his shoulders, "Just don't keep it bottled inside you, your worry lines are showing already!" he teased in friendly fashion.

Jay snorted, "Says the guy who buys bottles of face creams and masks by the dozens!"

"Hey! You don't have to shout it out loud for the world to hear and anyways, I share them with you too!" Adam said with a pout but he was pleased to see that Jay's cheerful disposition had returned.

Jay chuckled, "Your secret is safe with me! Now, let us find the others, I don't want to get left behind!"

"Hold on a second Jay, you won't go behind Mark and Glenn's back, would you?" he asked in a worried tone.

Without hesitation, Jay shook his head, "I won't, promise! I'm sorry for making you worry."

Adam breathed out easy, "Thanks, I needed to hear that from you! Now, we better go find the others!"

~*~

Matt and Scott had left earlier after leaving word that they would join them later for dinner. Everyone decided to return to the hotel to take a rest as it was still too early to go out for dinner. Most of them were eager to try out the new toys they had just bought.

Hunter and Shawn excused themselves before hurrying off to their room. The minute the door closed, Hunter dropped the bag he was carrying and pinned Shawn to the door, working his mouth hungrily against his.

He finally released him to allow him to breathe. Nuzzling against his neck, he whispered huskily, "Tell me which toy you want me to use first, Goldie."

Shawn's breathing quickened, Hunter's mere words and caresses just sent his heart racing.

"The cuffs" he finally said in a hushed voice and Hunter grinned.

Picking up the bag from the floor, he tossed it on the bed before lifting his lover by his legs to straddle him and moved towards the bed. Dropping Shawn on the bed, he quickly kicked off his shoes and removed his clothes while Shawn did the same. Hunter now stood in full naked glory before his lover, his massive cock jutting out proudly. Shawn stared at it and unconsciously licked his lips in anticipation. No matter how many times he had taken that massive hard throbbing flesh into his mouth, he could never get enough of it!

Hunter reached out for the bag and removed the velvet covered cuffs before advancing predator-like towards Shawn, his eyes never leaving his.

_So, Hunt thinks he's going to dominate me? Well, he's in for a surprise!_

Shawn grinned inwardly as he watched him crawled upwards on the bed and hovered over him. Wrapping one hand around Hunter's neck, Shawn pulled him down to kiss him hard on the mouth while his other hand reached out to take the cuffs which Hunter willingly relinquished to him, lost in the surge of emotions from the kiss. With their lips still locked together, Shawn arched his hips upwards to grind against Hunter's throbbing flesh, eliciting a groan from him. With Hunter subtly distracted, Shawn locked one cuff to the bedpost while grinding his groin up against his lover. Hunter's eyes suddenly flew open in surprise when he felt the cuff snapped around his wrist. He looked up at his cuffed wrist.

Shawn pecked him softly on the lips several times before giggling, "Who says you get to dominate every time big boy?"

Hunter tugged on the cuffs but it held firm. He sighed, "Come on Shawn, let me loose. How am I going to make love to you if you keep me chained up?"

A gleam of mischief in his eyes, Shawn whispered, "Why don't you lean back and let the master show you how!"

He crawled from underneath Hunter and pushed him onto his back, trading places with him. Lowering his head, he started to kiss and bite softly on his neck, making his way slowly down to his chest, teasing the nipples into hard nubs with his fingers while he worked his mouth and tongue over the wide expanse of his chest. Hunter closed his eyes and groaned, his body quivering with anticipation as Shawn's mouth moved closer to his manhood. A loud moan left his mouth when Shawn took hold of his cock and started to give it firm and hard strokes.

Thrusting upwards, he groaned out loud, "Baby … please … take me in your mouth … Oh God!" he gasped when Shawn slid the whole length easily into his hot mouth, having done it so many times before, without gagging.

"Jesus … baby … ohhh …" as Shawn slid his mouth up and down the pulsating rod. He locked his lips over the head and sucked hard, grinning with satisfaction when Hunter thrust upwards, groaning incoherently. His hands held his hips down as he worked on him furiously, building him up into a frenzy. Knowing that he was almost at the edge, he pulled up and licked his lips, his eyes laughing at Hunter.

Hunter opened his eyes to look at him, panting loudly, "What're you doing Shawn?"

In response, Shawn fisted his throbbing flesh and stroked it firmly and asked in a commanding tone, "Now, tell me, which one of us is the better lover, you or me?"

Hunter groaned out loud, "Shawnie baby, can we not do this now? I'm dying here! Please, baby, can we talk about this after we're finished?"

Shawn stubbornly shook his head, "No, if you don't give me an answer now, then I'm going to leave you cuffed to the bed and you won't get any loving from me for the next few days! So there!"

To put his point across, he released Hunter's throbbing cock and folded his arms across his chest, leaving him with aching blue balls.

"Baby, please?" Hunter pleaded but Shawn remained adamant.

With a growl, Hunter suddenly shifted and Shawn found himself on his back with Hunter on top of him. Without a word, Hunter buried his throbbing rod deep into Shawn's passage, drawing a sharp gasp from him.

He thrust at a furious pace and asked in between pants, "What were you saying, baby? Come on, tell me, who's the best?"

He continued to fuck Shawn hard and furious, driving him down the mattress. The headboard slapped loudly against the wall. Shawn moaned deliriously, his head thrashing on the pillow as Hunter jabbed at his prostate repeatedly.

"Hunt … oh God! … please …. ahhhh …..!" and he shot his load, splashing it across Hunter's abdomen and thighs. The spasms milked Hunter's cock and he released with a feral growl, empting into Shawn. He slumped to the side, laying beside Shawn and pulled him against him with his unlocked arm.

Both men waited to catch their breaths and Hunter finally turned to grin at Shawn, "About two minutes, I think. I didn't touch you and you came all over me! So, tell me, who is the better lover?" he asked cockily.

Shawn pouted, "Can't you at least let me win this round? You're a real meanie, you know!"

Hunter laughed and hugged him, "Baby, you did win this round! I let you cum first, didn't I?"

"Hunter …" Shawn whined as his lover cuddled him lovingly.

~*~

Glenn had decided to join Kevin and Sean for a game of pool at the nearby pub. He wanted Mark to spend some time alone with Jeff. After the breakthrough that he had witnessed at the shop, he knew his brother was on the mend. He had never seen Mark happier and was pleased at the way things had turned out. He told them he would return later after a few rounds of pool.

Jeff sat on the bed, admiring the bracelet around his ankle. He looked up as Mark came out from the bathroom, wearing only his jeans. Jeff beamed up at him.

"Thank you Mark, this is really extravagant and it's so beautiful!"

Mark sat down beside him and gave him a hug, "You're most welcome! And I must say, diamonds really look good on you!" he chuckled.

Jeff leaned his head on his shoulder and sighed blissfully. He was so lucky! He and Matt were very fortunate to meet up with the right people. First, WWF signed them on and now, this! God must be watching over them and he was very thankful for the blessings bestowed on them!

Mark gently caressed his back and Jeff cuddled up towards him. He shifted to rest his head on Mark's chest, playing absently with his chest hair while listening to his heartbeat. Both men were just content to lie quietly in the room, taking comfort in each other's presence.

Mark suddenly spoke up, "Tell me about yourself."

Jeff smiled and asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Everything, like where do you live, what are your hobbies?"

Jeff found himself telling Mark about his life. He talked about his childhood in North Carolina, how their mother died when they were young, how Matt took care of him as their daddy was too busy at work, the troubles he faced in school, how Matt was always there to fend off the bullies and protect him, how he and Matt got into wrestling, how they and a group of friends formed Omega and wrestled everywhere to hone their skills and gain experience, his love for art, his dabbling in music and poetry, his dog at home and his penchant for motor cross racing.

"How old are you?" Mark asked with curiosity and was startled to learn that he was only nineteen.

"How old were you when you started wrestling?" He was, yet again, left stunned when Jeff told him that he started when he was twelve, Matt was fifteen.

"We had this trampoline in our backyard and we did all these crazy moves by imitating the wrestlers we watched on television. But we did come up with our own moves subsequently."

"So, you didn't go to a proper training school at all?" Mark asked.

"Not until the company decided to sign us up and sent us there. And I have to admit, it was an enriching experience! We met Adam and Jay there and have been friends since."

Mark nodded, taking in everything he had just learned. Matt and Jeff started really young and they had the drive to push themselves to where they were right now, it mustn't have been easy for them. He couldn't help but admire them for their tenacity and told Jeff so.

But Jeff said humbly, "Gosh Mark, we just got here and it's a really tough business. Everyone is so good and so competitive. I can only hope that we'll outlast the others. It's the only thing we know and we can't imagine doing anything else! But our daddy keeps telling us that we're wasting our time." Jeff told him in a forlorn tone.

"With what you and Matt have already been through, I should say that the both of you definitely have the passion for the business and it's a good start. Continue to push yourself and improve and show your dad that you have got what it takes to make it in this business!" Mark said encouragingly.

Jeff grinned at him, "I do have my doubts at times but you just set me straight with what you've just said! Thank you for your vote of confidence!"

Mark ruffled his hair playfully and Jeff giggled before bending to blow a raspberry on his belly, drawing chuckles from the Deadman.

"Hey, that tickles!" Mark laughed and before long, both men were blowing raspberries on each other's belly.

Jeff squirmed and giggled uncontrollably as he tried to get away and found himself on his back, Mark above him. Both men suddenly stilled as they looked into each other's eyes. Very slowly, Mark lowered his head and kissed Jeff ever so tenderly on the lips. Jeff responded. Moving to gently cup Mark's face with his hands, he brushed his lips lightly across Mark's. Their mouths slowly melded with each other and both men kissed each other languorously. Jeff moaned softly, parting his lips to admit Mark's insistent tongue between them. Slipping his hands through Jeff's silky tresses, Mark held his head still as he fully explored and savored his mouth. Jeff pulled him down by the neck and engaged his tongue with Mark's in a ritual mating dance. He could hear his own heart thudding loudly as the building heat coursed through his body, making him feel flushed. His body tingled with excitement and he mewled softly, arching up involuntarily against Mark, seeking to be touched.

Mark broke the kiss first. Breathing hard, he looked down at Jeff with lust-glazed eyes. Jeff's emerald orbs had darkened to a deep sea green, dusted with specks of gold, his face was flushed and his sensuous lips kiss-swollen. He looked so desirable and his eager responses indicated he was equally inflamed as he was. Yet, there was an innocence about him that lent a vulnerability to his whole demeanor and Mark felt overwhelmingly protective towards him.

Breathing deeply to calm his senses, Mark shifted to lean on the headboard and pulled Jeff to rest comfortably against him. More than anything else, he wished to indulge in making passionate love to the lovely creature in his arms but he knew that Jeff was still experiencing discomfort in his nether regions.

Dropping a kiss on top of his head, he spoke softly, "We'll have plenty of time to enjoy each other, just not today. Let us wait till you've healed."

A mixture of emotions washed over Jeff. Snuggling close to Mark, he whispered, "Thank you for looking out for me. Not many people would do that, I know they only want one thing from me. But you and Glenn are different, I sensed it the first time I saw you. I don't know how to explain it, but, you feel like family." The note of sincerity was distinct in his soft Carolinian drawl.

Mark's heart melted on hearing those words. No one had ever said anything so sweet and so heartwarming to him before. He was never an emotional person but he felt his eyes moistened. Ever since he broke up with Shawn, he had locked up his emotions, refusing to admit anyone into his heart. His barriers had been broken down by this child-like young man, not quite yet an adult, but who had the ability to tear down his defenses without even realizing it.

He didn't know how to respond to that and just hugged the boy tightly to him, saying gruffly, "Why don't you take a nap until it's time for dinner? We can stay out late since there's no show for the next two days."

Jeff shook his head, "I'm not tired."

His face suddenly lit up and he moved off the bed, going through his bag. After some rummaging, he pulled out a sketch book and climbed back into the bed.

"Can I draw you Mark?" he asked, looking at him shyly.

Mark was flattered but felt slightly embarrassed with the attention.

"I'm not sure I make a good subject …" he started to say but Jeff pleaded, "Please? I really want to do a portrait of you and Glenn."

Mark relented on hearing the plea in his voice, what harm would it do? And he had to admit he was curious how Jeff would draw him.

"Okay then … huh … what should I do?" he asked feeling self-conscious all of a sudden.

"Just be yourself. You can doze while I sketch, I already know what to do with your eyes," he said as he flipped open the drawing pad and drew out the pencil from its binder.

Mark decided to do just that, he didn't think he could relax and maintain a still posture until Jeff was done. Laying himself down on the bed, he closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the pencil scratching the surface of the pad. Lulled by the silence, he slowly dozed off as Jeff continued to work on his art.

~*~

"I assume things are going well with the new kid?" Kevin asked as he shot a ball into the side pocket.

Glenn grinned and nodded, "Yeah and it's the best thing we've ever done!"

Both Kevin and Sean laughed. Sean teased, "So, how many rounds have you gone with him? We saw the shape he was in this morning and damn, I kind of envy him right now! He has got a lot of loving from the both of you!"

Glenn chuckled amusingly as he counted in his head the number of times he had got together with Jeff. _Lets see now, once last night in the shower, one time in bed this morning, once in the tub and another time when I seduced him. Okay, that makes four times and Mark had done it twice with Jeff. Oh God, no wonder he's so sore! _Glenn startled himself with that realization. _I better take it easy with him from now on. Mark would have my head if I break our little tweety! _

He sighed sadly, that would mean he couldn't use the toys he had bought and he couldn't help pouting just a little bit.

Kevin stopped his game and glared at his petite lover, "Don't tell me you want to join them?" and Sean laughed, "Baby, you're all that I need but I just couldn't help thinking how it feels to have two huge cocks stuffed into me!"

Kevin suddenly had a gleam in his eyes and he said, "I can make it happen if you're interested," laying down his cue on the pool table, the game forgotten.

Sean looked at him and then back to Glenn. He gulped, "Huh, baby, you're not thinking of asking Glenn to join us, are you?"

Kevin roared with laughter while Glenn looked on, bemused. He was curious to know what Kevin had in mind.

Kevin finally stopped laughing and addressed Glenn, "Glenn, I'm sorry man but it's not going to happen!"

He turned back to Sean, "You don't need another man, you just need me and with the aid of our new toys, we can make your wish come true!"

Sean gasped as realization dawned on him. He moved forward to grasp Kevin by his wrist and started pulling him along, "I want to go back and try it now! See you later Glenn!"

Kevin sent an apologetic look towards Glenn before both men disappeared out the door.

Glenn muttered to himself, "Damn it! Now I can't get that image out my mind! This really sucks!"

Checking his watch, he saw that it was almost six. He decided to head back and see how Mark and Jeff were doing. He was hoping against all odds that Jeff wasn't that sore and maybe they could play a little before dinner. Grinning gleefully at that thought, he quickly made his way out but he had to make a short stop first.

~*~

Raven's eyes followed Chris as he walked into the bar. _What is he doing here all alone by himself?_

He knew that Chris normally hanged out with Adam and Jay. This was unusual. He tipped the bottle of beer to his mouth as he watched Chris look in their direction.

Chris seemed to change his mind and was about to leave when Raven called out to him, "Hey Chris, come and join us!"

His friends looked at each other in surprise but did not say anything. Chris hesitated only momentarily before making his approach. On Raven's invitation, he sat down on the empty seat beside him and ordered himself a shot of whiskey.

Raven cocked his eyebrow and said, "Isn't it a bit early to start with that?"

Chris rolled his eyes before saying, "I'm having only this one drink but you guys look like you hit the bar real early!"

His eyes had picked up the glazed and tipsy look of his acquaintances and they were only drinking beer. He assumed they were in that state because they had started drinking early.

Raven chuckled and admitted, "We've been here since noon, there's nothing else to do!"

Chris gave him a lopsided grin before throwing back the shot of whiskey. He pulled out his wallet but Raven waved it down. "I've got it. Why don't you have another? It isn't like you have to be in a hurry."

Chris shook his head as he put his money down on the counter for his drink, "Thanks but no thanks and I don't drink much. I've got to go and thanks for the company."

He got up and left the bar without a backward glance. Raven watched him go, a thoughtful look on his face.

Rhyno nudged him and asked, "What was that all about? I didn't know you were friends with him."

But Raven chose not to answer him and said instead, "Did you see his reaction when he first saw Jeff? He was the first to go up and welcome him. Hmm, I'm just wondering why Adam and Jay weren't with him."

Albert spoke up, "I overheard them talking. Those two knew the Hardys, they went to training school together and they're tight. Maybe, they've gone out with them."

Raven perked up with interest. "If that's the case, I would have thought Chris would be hanging with Jeff and them right now. Hmm, something doesn't look right!"

"Forget them, lets just drink. It's not our problem anyway!" Rhyno said as he gestured to the bartender to bring them some more beers.

Raven kept his thoughts to himself. He knew there was more to it and he intended to find out what. He got up and pulled out some notes and left them on the counter.

"Hey, where're you going?" Rhyno asked curiously.

"I need to check something out, but you guys carry on. I may join you later again."

Raven hurried out and glanced around, hoping to catch sight of Chris but he was nowhere to be seen. He walked briskly, Chris could be in one of the stores and he decided to check them out. After ten minutes of searching, he still couldn't find him and was about to give up when he saw Glenn walked out of a store. He was studying the contents in the bag he was carrying and didn't look where he was going. Suddenly, Chris walked out from an adjacent bookstore with his head bent to the book. Both men walked smack into each other!

Chris stumbled backwards, dropping his book. Glenn looked up in surprise and then growled in frustration, "You again! What the hell are you doing here?"

Picking up his book, Chris retorted, "I have every right to be here, just like you!"

He looked at the hair color pack that had fallen out of the bag and sniggered, "Don't tell me you color your hair? It's not going to work miracles and improve your looks. That's for sure!"

Glenn picked up the color pack and shoved it inside the bag. "I didn't ask for your opinion and you better keep your distance from Jeff or I'll feed you a knuckle sandwich!" he threatened.

Chris narrowed his eyes and stepped towards him. He hissed between gritted teeth, "No one tells me what I should or should not do! If I want to talk to Jeff, I'll talk to him! I don't need your fucking approval! And you better get your ugly mutt face out of my face before I make it uglier than it already is!"

Glenn had lowered his head to push his face near his and Chris was sorely tempted to punch him in the face. A crowd had started to gather around them. Hunter and Shawn had just come out of the elevator and were immediately drawn to the commotion. They pushed their way to the front when they realized that their co-workers were about to go at each other's throats.

"Hey, cool it guys!" Hunter stood between them, one hand on each man's chest, while Shawn tried to pull Chris back but he shoved him away.

"Don't touch me! I'm sick of this ugly brute threatening me all the time! Who the hell does he think he is!"

Adam and Jay were just leaving the elevator when they heard Chris' angry voice. Making their way hurriedly towards the group, they saw that Hunter had problems holding Glenn back and Chris wasn't making things easier by hurling insults at the big red machine. Glenn was no longer there, it was all Kane, all humanity removed and his face was contorted with fury! They realized that their friend was about to die!

Adam and Jay rushed to Chris' aid just as Kane broke Hunter's hold and lunged forward, sending both men crashing to the floor. Chris landed hard on his back and Kane readied his fists to pound into him but Adam and Jay hung onto his arms, shouting, "No, Glenn, No!"

Hunter got back in and tried to pull Kane back but it was like trying to move a boulder! And Shawn was desperately trying to pull Chris up and out but the Canadian was cursing and fighting him!

A commanding voice boomed out, "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW GLENN!" and to everyone's relief, Kane froze. The men still held tightly on to him. They were afraid to release their holds, not really knowing what to expect from him.

Mark and Jeff pushed their way to their side and Mark demanded, "Let him go!"

Hunter, Adam and Jay obliged and released Kane before stepping back. Shawn helped Chris to his feet before making his way to Hunter's side. Chris brushed himself off quietly. The stormy look on Mark's face warned him to shut up. Mark turned to his brother and looked into his eyes, holding his gaze. Glenn slowly came back to himself and he looked abashed.

Mark snapped, "I don't even want to hear how it got started but this is fucking ridiculous! Two grown men brawling in public like a couple of school kids! If Vince gets a hold of this, he might just suspend the both of you! If you two want to fight, do it in the ring and you can bash each other's faces in for all I care!"

Glenn opened his mouth to say something but Mark gave him a look and he shut it.

Mark turned to Chris and gave him an exasperated look. "Are you proud of yourself? If it weren't for them," he gestured to Hunter, Adam and Jay, "I can guarantee that you would be lying in the hospital bed right now!"

For once, Chris kept his big mouth shut and allowed himself to be humbled. He knew Mark was right. Kane would have put him in a bad way!

Mark turned to the on-lookers and said, "The fight's over, you can all scram!" and everyone, except for the wrestlers, scattered. His tone broached no arguments.

He let out a heavy sigh and Jeff stepped forward to squeeze his arm comfortingly. Mark gave him a small smile before pushing him towards Glenn who had bent down to pick up the bag he had dropped. Jeff linked his arm through Glenn's and offered him a smile which Glenn returned. Pulling Glenn forward, Jeff linked his other arm through Mark's and without a word, the three men headed towards the elevator.

Adam and Jay turned to Chris who mumbled, "Thanks for your help."

He looked towards Hunter and Shawn and nodded his thanks, "You too, guys! I'm sorry for being such a pain!" he apologized.

Hunter and Shawn nodded their acknowledgement before leaving. Chris sighed, running his hand through his hair and grumbled, "The Great One Above must really hate me! I keep running into that big loaf everywhere I turn!"

"I don't think that's the problem. Can I just make a wild guess and say, Jeff's name popped up and things got ugly then?" Adam asked knowingly.

"I hate it when you're right!" Chris complained as he retrieved his book from the floor and both Adam and Jay snorted with laughter.

"Give it up Chris! No one and I mean, no one, will be able to get near Jeff! His two guard dogs will take off more than a chunk of flesh from you! Just heed my advice and look elsewhere. Who knows, but the love of your life may be standing right before you!" Adam hinted as he looked over at Jay who hissed at him to shut up.

"Adam, just drop it, alright? I'm tired and I need a shower. Do you guys have any plans for tonight?" Chris asked as the three men made their way towards the elevator.

Adam and Jay shook their heads and said no and Chris asked, "Want to hang out at the new pub just across the street after dinner?" as the lift doors opened and they entered the lift.

Jay replied, "Yeah, that would be great! So, does that mean we're good?" he asked anxiously.

Chris gave him a smile, "It would mean that if you accept my invitation!" and Jay beamed. They decided to meet an hour later in the lobby.

Raven had followed the whole proceedings with great interest. As the lift doors closed on the Canadians, he turned to leave, excited to get his plan underway.

_This is more than I've bargained for! I know what I have to do now!_

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For those of you who love Jeff/Punk slash fics or should I say, Junk, please check out 'Punk'D Up' by 'HardyKat'. It carries mpreg so be forewarned!

Reviews greatly appreciated …………………………………………


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

The good thing about having multiple pairings in a story is that you can add one or more smut scenes in every chapter and it doesn't get tiresome! For those who find it too much, you can just skip the part(s) but I must admit that I'm thoroughly enjoying myself writing these scenes. It's quite a challenge trying to find ways to make them interesting. So, without further adieu, please read and enjoy!

Oh, I almost forgot, THANKS for your reviews!

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Chapter 12

"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

Adam and Jay were back in their room. They had about an hour before meeting Chris in the hotel lobby.

"Adam, I told you, I really don't know how I feel about him and anyway, he doesn't like me that way, he only wants Jeff."

Adam let out an exasperated sigh, "This is really stupid, you've never shown any interest in a man before!"

Jay looked apologetic, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any worries but I'll figure it out myself. Just promise me not to tell Chris!"

"Jay …" Adam started to say but he pleaded, "Please Adam, just don't say anything to him?"

Adam reluctantly acceded to his request but said, "Just don't brood, I hate seeing you like this!"

Jay smiled gratefully at him, "I won't!" and he moved to give Adam a hug, saying, "Thanks man!"

Adam returned his hug, "Any time, Jay. I'm always here for you!"

~*~

Mark had not uttered a single word since they had walked into the room. He just sat quietly on his side of the bed, staring into empty space. And Glenn was pretending like nothing unusual had happened but Jeff could feel the tension between them. He was at a loss as to how to get the two talking again. Glenn finally got up from his seat and walking towards the bed, pushed the bag he had been holding into Jeff's hands.

"I got these for you" he said as he sat down beside Jeff who was seated in the middle of the bed between the brothers.

Jeff squealed with delight as soon as he saw what was in the bag. Throwing his arms around Glenn, he rewarded him with small kisses all over his face, making him chuckle. Jeff finally sat back down and dumped the contents on the bed. Glenn had bought the hair color that he had wanted, a black kohl pencil, two flavored sticks of lip gloss and two hair bands. Mark was watching from the corner of his eye and his mouth twitched as he sighted the items.

Glenn caught his amused look and grinned sheepishly at him, explaining, "He was eyeing that color in the store and then when we were at the mall, he bought a bottle of nail varnish. I thought he may like those since he enjoys dolling up so much."

Mark couldn't help himself and burst into laughter. This was a day he would always remember, the day when his brother went out and bought girly stuff for their itty bitty! His infectious laughter broke the ice and Glenn found himself joining him in his mirth. Jeff wasn't sure what just happened but he was glad that the brothers had finally made up.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he bounced off the bed, asking eagerly, "Do I have time to color my hair?"

Mark wiped the tears from his eyes and asked, "How long does it take?"

"About half an hour for the color to set in and then I need to wash and condition, and I …."

"Jeff, how long do you really need?" Mark cut in and Jeff chewed on his lip thoughtfully before saying with finality, "Two hours."

Mark nodded, "We have time. Go ahead then, I'll call Kevin to let him know we'll join him later."

But Glenn informed him with an amused grin, "Don't need to. If I'm not wrong, I would say he's pretty occupied right now, trying out the new toys they bought at the mall!" Mark just rolled his eyes at that piece of information he was just fed.

Putting the items back into the bag, Jeff hastily made his way towards the bathroom with it. The brothers settled themselves down with a book each to wait for Jeff to pretty himself.

~*~

"Angel, what time are we supposed to meet up with the rest?" Scott asked as he softly caressed Matt's hair. Both men were laying in post coital bliss in bed after several hours of making out.

Matt shifted to take his watch from the side table. Glancing at it, he leaned back into the comforting arms of Scotty again. "It's almost six now. I guess maybe an hour and a half from now. We can doze for a while."

He closed his eyes, intending to do just that but Scotty whispered in his ear, "Have I told you how much I love you?"

Matt opened his eyes to look up at him. There was a look of tenderness in them. He smiled and whispered back in an endearing tone, "You don't need to tell me, I know Scotty, and I love you too!"

Scott let out a soft sigh of pleasure, "I love you Angel! It has been a while since I felt this way. I hope you will bear with me."

Matt frowned and asked, "What're you talking about? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Scott hesitated for a while but finally decided to tell Matt the truth, "Angel, I … I have a drinking problem."

Matt didn't look at all surprised but he let out a sad sigh before sitting up to take Scott's hands in his, "I suspected it when I saw the way you carried on yesterday. How long has it been?"

"About a year. Kevin tried to get me some professional help but it just didn't work out! It's difficult to admit that I'm an alcoholic in front of total strangers. I left after a couple of sessions and Kevin gave me hell for it! But the Kliq, they didn't give up on me, they all tried to help me. They took care of me and made sure that I got back to my room safely after each drinking bout."

"Oh Scotty! Let us take this one step at a time. You know that you need to start by cutting back on the drinks. I know it's not easy because I know someone back home who had the same problem. He didn't do anything to help himself and his wife finally gave up on him and took the children and left. He finally came to his senses and sought help and the last I heard, he had got back with his family. I'll be here by your side to help you, just don't give up trying!"

Scott squeezed Matt to him and said gratefully, "Thank you, I don't know what I'll do if you leave me. I was afraid that you'll walk away from me once you found out."

"I won't leave you Scotty, ever! We'll get through this together, I promise!" Matt said as he kissed his lover tenderly on the lips and swearing to himself, '_Nothing is going to break us up!'_

~*~

Raven was back at the bar with his friends. He was excited and quickly informed them of the altercation between Chris and Glenn. What he had witnessed had given him a few ideas as to how to get rid of his competition. Jealousy rose in him when he saw Jeff hanging on the arms of Mark and Glenn. It was going to be difficult to rid those two and he was going to need help.

"I need a favor from all of you," Raven said quietly as he looked at his three comrades.

Rhyno nodded and asked, "What is it?"

"We are going to tail the Canadians tonight. I have a theory but I need to find out if I'm right. We'll just follow them and if we get spotted, just act casual and chat up with them."

Albert and Kanyon looked at Rhyno and he looked as baffled as they were.

"You want to tell us what you're up to?" Rhyno asked.

Raven smirked, "Find out all we can from them about the Hardys, and Chris, and as for the rest, I'll tell you when the time is right."

Rhyno protested, "But, they will know that we're up to something, they witnessed the whole breakfast incident!"

Raven's eyes darkened with fury, he hadn't forgotten! He would bide his time and have his revenge! The Deadman would pay dearly for embarrassing him in public!

He turned his attention back to his associates, "So what if they know! If we act like we just want to be friends, they may be receptive and let us into their circle. Chris joined us earlier for a drink, don't you remember?" and his friends nodded.

Raven continued to elaborate, "I need all the information I can get to exploit their weaknesses and then, I will take them all down, one at a time! And sweet Jeffrey will be mine to do as I please!" Raven said with an evil gleam in his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be worrying about the Deadman and Kane instead? They are the ones who have your pretty one, not the Canadians" Albert said with a perplexed look on his face.

"I know but if things work out my way, those three will be able to help us get rid of them. So, are you with me on this?"

Raven grinned when the three men pledged their allegiance to him. Things seemed to be looking up for him and if his hunch was right, it wouldn't take long before he had Jeff in his arms!

~*~

Mark and Glenn put down their books when the bathroom door opened. They couldn't wait to see Jeff but the sight that greeted them made their jaws dropped!

Jeff stood there nervously, anxious about their reactions to his new look. His blonde hair was now streaked with blue and he had added sparkles to it. He had highlighted his dark emerald eyes with the dark kohl pencil and they stood out magnificently and his lips shimmered with the peach lip gloss he had applied over them. Somehow, he had also managed to find time to varnish his nails a shimmering dark blue. He was only wearing his boxers.

"Do I look okay?" he finally asked as he glanced nervously at them.

Glenn nodded his head fervently while licking his lips and said, "You look more than okay, you look gorgeous! Come here, tweets!" gesturing to him to come forward.

Mark's mouth remained slightly agape, he couldn't believe his eyes! Jeff looked fucking delicious and Mark felt his self-control withering away. His breath hitched as Jeff walked towards them, his hips sashaying enticingly without him realizing the effect he had on them.

Mark's eyes roamed slowly over him and he felt the front of his pants tightening. He wasn't the only one with the problem though. Glenn let out a low growl before reaching out impatiently to pull Jeff in the rest of the way. Jeff squeaked as he was thrown on the bed and he looked up with startled wide eyes as Glenn lowered his mouth to cover his, tasting the peach gloss on those oh so kissable sultry lips. Jeff whimpered as Glenn forced his mouth open with his tongue and Mark felt his cock twitched. His hands moved on their own accord to caress Jeff along his arm up to his shoulder and slowly down his side to the indent on his hips where Mark traced sensuous circles with his fingertips causing Jeff to arch his hips up and mewl softly. Glenn broke the kiss and grinned as he watched Jeff's eyes glazed over with lust, panting softly. He looked at Mark who realized he was fighting a losing battle against his own desires, which was to drive in hard and pound Jeff right through the mattress!

"Mark, where's the lube?" Glenn whispered huskily as he grind his groin against Jeff's, drawing sharp gasps from both of them. Jeff dug his newly painted nails into Glenn's shoulders while rubbing himself shamelessly up against him, helpless whimpers emitting from his lips. He looked over at Mark, appealing to him with his eyes and Mark realized that Jeff wanted this just as much as them! Without a word, he reached over to pull open the drawer and drew out a tube of lube.

Popping the cap open, he squeezed a generous amount on his palm before tossing it to Glenn and saying, "I'll prep him up while you lube up. His pucker's red and sore this morning so go easy on him until he's ready" Mark advised.

Glenn nodded and quickly undressed himself. He shifted so that he was lying on his back. He pulled Jeff to lie on top of him with his back pressed against his chest. Mark pulled off Jeff's shorts and Glenn pulled his legs wide open for Mark to prep Jeff for entry.

"Jeff, are you sure you're ready for this?" Mark asked with a note of anxiety in his voice.

Jeff gasped, "Yessss ….hmm… please …. " and he groaned out loudly when Glenn stroked him with firm, strong strokes.

Mark spread the lube around Jeff's pucker and noticed that it didn't look as sore as it was that morning. He gave a sigh of relief as he easily breached the ring of muscles with his finger. Gently, he rotated his digit and after awhile, added two more fingers, stretching him slowly.

Jeff whimpered with pain and Glenn spoke soothingly into his ear, "We will make you feel so good, just bear with it for a while."

Mark thrust his fingers in and out the tight passage, his own breath quickening as he felt Jeff's orifice squeezing and sucking his fingers deeper into the tight passage. He jabbed at Jeff's prostate and the boy howled with pleasure as he arched into his fingers, taking them deeper into him.

Glenn squeezed tight around the base of Jeff's shaft and rasped out in a lust-filled voice, "Fist him Mark!" and Mark was taken aback and protested, "I'll hurt him!" but Glenn shook his head, "No, he's too far gone to feel anything but pleasure. He's very responsive, Mark, he loves what we're doing to him! I know he can take us both in!"

Mark was still uncertain and looked doubtfully into Jeff's eyes. The boy was arching frantically against his fingers, mewling desperately and looking pleadingly at him. He sought release. Mark made his decision. He pulled out his fingers and Jeff whined in protest, arching up to seek the loss of those meaty digits. Squeezing enough lube to cover his whole fist, Mark inserted two digits into the tight passage and Jeff cried out with pleasure as he writhed against his fingers, welcoming their re-entry. Mark added two more digits and he could see Jeff winced in pain. It was too tight and he could hardly move his fingers around but he rotated and felt around, stretching Jeff. He made sure to jab at his prostate to give the boy some relief from the pain and when he heard Jeff's keening wail, he knew it was time to try putting his fist in. It was impossible, Jeff just couldn't take in anymore but Glenn hoisted his legs up, pulling both legs under the knees to fold tight against his chest, leaving Jeff wide open for deeper penetration.

"Try it now!" Glenn rasped out and Mark could hear the excitement in his voice. His cock was so hard and he was aching for relief. The mere thought of Jeff's tight passage enveloping both their cocks almost sent him over the edge.

As Mark maneuvered and pushed, he found to his astonishment that his fist finally went in as Jeff howled and thrashed but Glenn kept a firm hold on him. Tears welled up and rolled down Jeff's cheeks and Mark wanted to pull out.

"Don't stop now!" Glenn said as he started fisting Jeff's shaft in tight hard strokes, quickly bringing him pleasure. Mark waited for Jeff to adjust and when Jeff started mewling with pleasure and arched against his fist, he grounded into the passage in a massaging motion. Jeff closed his eyes and groaned. His hair was now matted to his head and the wet curls framed sensuously around his face. His lips were red and swollen as he had bitten down on them.

Mark bent his head to lick at them before sucking them into his mouth while fisting Jeff gently. He nibbled and laved at them, enjoying the little mewls of pleasure emitting from Jeff's mouth. Jeff latched his arms around his neck and opened his mouth to kiss Mark. They kissed feverishly, both men growing heady as the kiss prolonged. They finally broke apart, gasping for breath.

Glenn grinned at Mark and said, "He's ready. You take him in front while I take the back."

Mark withdrew his fist and undressed himself. He lubed his cock generously before positioning his engorged cockhead and in a single push, slid all the way in. Jeff held on tight to him and whimpered. Mark squeezed his eyes shut as he fought the urge to thrust. Not yet, he told himself. His cock was locked in a vice grip and if he moved now, he would climax. He wanted to prolong the pleasure and gritted his teeth as he waited for his senses to calm. When he had regained some semblance of control, he looked up tenderly into Jeff's eyes as he started to thrust into his body, taking it slow and drawing the utmost pleasure in feeling the tight walls squeezed his cock in a tight embrace. He picked up the momentum and looked down at their adjoining flesh as he buried himself to the hilt, relishing the delicious shivers that riled his senses as he thrust in and out. Jeff started keening and Mark increased his pace, panting harshly. He wanted to bring Jeff over along with him and a sudden shift under him reminded him that Glenn was waiting on them.

"Sorry" he managed to gasp out as he stilled himself.

"Don't worry about it, big brother" Glenn said as he locked Jeff's legs around Mark's waist and lifted him by the hips. "Hold him tight against you when I push" he told Mark, his voice quivering with excitement. "Little tweety, I need you to take in a deep breath and let it out slowly when I push in, okay?" and Jeff responded by burying his face against Mark's neck, his arms locked tightly around his neck, body trembling partly in fear as well as in anticipation.

Slowly, Glenn held his cockhead and pushed. He didn't make much headway as Mark stuffed Jeff completely. Not one to give up easily, he tried using more force and the outcome was a holler of pain coming from Jeff as Glenn slid almost two inches in. Tears coursing down his face, Jeff bit down on his bottom lip, trying to overcome the pain tearing within him.

"Glenn, Jeff's in a lot of pain!" Mark said through gritted teeth as he felt himself approaching climax. He fought for control.

Jeff managed to gasp out weakly, "Please ….don't pull out … I'm good ….." before letting out a loud moan when Glenn pushed in deeper. Slowly, Glenn pushed until he was buried to the balls. The three men groaned at the extremely tight fit.

Mark warned in a raspy voice, "We need to move now! I don't think I can hold on much longer!"

His throbbing arousal screamed for release. With that said, he and Glenn started to thrust in unison into Jeff's tight body. Their cockheads hit his prostate simultaneously and Jeff howled with pleasure. He cried out deliriously, squirming between the two men, trying to get a grip on his senses but the repeated jabbing overloaded his senses and he released with a scream, clawing frantically at Mark's back, leaving red scratches. His spasms contracted around both men's cock, squeezing them in a death grip and with grunts and growls, Mark and Glenn shot their load into Jeff, filling him to overflowing. Once they had been milked dry, they pulled out immediately and the three men slumped onto the bed, completely exhausted.

Mark and Glenn moved at the same time to wrap their arms protectively around Jeff who had fallen into a sleep of exhaustion. He was curled in a ball and was mewling softly in his sleep. Both men huddled close to him and closed their eyes and were asleep before long.

~*~

"They went to the same bar that we went to this afternoon!" Kanyon informed his associates as they saw Chris, Adam and Jay walked into the place.

Raven rolled his eyes. He could see for himself where they had gone to!

"Lets go in" he said as he made to follow them but Rhyno pulled him back.

"Wait!" he hissed as he saw another group approaching. "It's the Kliq!" he said as all six members drifted into the bar.

He turned to Raven, "What are we going to do now? If it were just the Canadians, I wouldn't mind going in but the Kliq's in there as well. I don't want to mess with them!"

"Fuck!" Raven shouted as he gripped his braids in exasperation. Rhyno was right. The Kliq was a force to reckon with and after their skirmish with Hunter and Shawn, he didn't want to face them all, Kevin might take exception to them attacking his members and mete out some punishment on his own!

"We'll have to wait for another time!" Raven growled as he turned around to head back. Damn it! He was eager to put his plans underway and the Kliq had to turn up and spoil his plans! And now, he had to wait for another opportunity!

Rhyno increased his stride to walk beside him, asking, "Bradshaw's out looking for us. What are we going to tell him?"

Raven knew that Bradshaw might try to stop him if he knew of his plans. That man treaded around eggshells in the presence of the Brothers of Destruction! He might just blow his cover to save himself from the wrath of those two.

"Leave it to me! Just don't say anything to him, you hear?" Raven gave each man a hard look.

"We said we have your back! Don't you trust us?" Albert said gruffly, feeling offended that Raven still seemed to distrust them.

Raven softened his demeanor, "I'm sorry if I sounded harsh. It's just that Bradshaw has a way of picking things up and I'm afraid that he will screw things up for me if he knows I'm out for the Deadman!"

Albert nodded, "Okay, just so we get things out in the clear, we can't function as a team if we don't trust each other. But, I'm still feeling uneasy going behind his back."

Raven gave him an assuring smile, "What he doesn't know won't hurt him! If he asks where we were, just say we were hanging around the bar and forgot the time. Now, let us head back, he must be frantic with worry by now."

~*~

"Hey, there's Adam and Jay, and Chris is with them! Can they join us?" Matt asked Kevin and he nodded and said, "Sure, I don't have a problem with them."

As Matt went up to invite his friends over, Hunter leaned in quickly to inform Kevin, "I didn't tell you yet what happened earlier at the hotel. Chris and Glenn had a confrontation and it took Adam, Jay and me to hold Glenn back from killing Chris. Mark came in time to call him off. I don't think Chris would be sitting here right now if he didn't turn up!"

He paused before adding, "I don't think it's a good idea to ask them over. Mark, Glenn and Jeff will be joining us later, right?"

Kevin rubbed a hand across his face in exasperation, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? It's too late! They're heading this way as we speak!" he groaned.

Kevin hid his anxiety and greeted them with a friendly smile as the Canadians pulled up chairs to join them. He glanced at his watch. He had called Mark who said they would join them later. They should be there in an hour's time. Kevin hoped that Chris would take his leave before then. He dreaded the consequences if Glenn came face to face with Chris again. Glenn was easily angered and Chris was cocky and had a mouth on him. He anticipated trouble if they meet again and thought of calling Mark to warn him. But Scotty told him that Matt was looking forward to spending time with his younger brother and he just couldn't take that away from him.

He sighed heavily. His best bet was to have Chris leave before Glenn turned up and he prayed that it would happen sooner than later.

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Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………………


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 13

Mark replaced the phone after arranging to meet Kevin in an hour. Glenn was in the shower and Mark used the quiet time to contemplate the sleeping blonde lying beside him. He looked innocent and angelic in repose and Mark felt his heart warmed over. _He's our gem!'_ Mark thought fondly as he leaned forward to kiss him awake. They would all need to shower as they positively reeked of sex!

Lashes fluttering softly, Jeff slowly awakened to find Mark smiling down at him. He moved to get up but suddenly winced in pain. His nether region burned something fierce!

He shifted gingerly as Mark fussed over him, "Are you in a lot of pain? Do you want me to get a doctor?"

Jeff shook his head as he finally propped himself into a sitting position. He drew his knees in carefully, grimacing as he saw the mingled blood and cum stains on the sheets under him.

"I'll be fine," Jeff assured him in a raspy voice as he pulled up the covers to cover himself. All that screaming and hollering had taken a toll on his voice.

"Glenn's in the shower and we'll be meeting the Kliq for dinner. Are you up to it?" Mark drew Jeff close to lean on his shoulder.

"Yes, but I need a favor from you" and batted his lashes at him.

Mark tried to hold back his laughter. Did Jeff just try to use his wiles on him? Okay, what was the boy up to?

"What is it, Jeff?" he asked with a poker face_. 'Let the boy think he has me wound around his itty bitty finger!'_

"Matty forbids me to wear make-up, among other things. I know he's going to freak out when he sees me this! Will you stop him from killing me with his bare hands when we get there?"

Mark rumbled with laughter and Jeff grinned cheekily up at him. He looked so adorable that Mark was tempted to kiss him silly but he restrained himself. "You know I will not let any harm come to you but why doesn't Matt let you do what you want?"

Jeff pouted, "He worries too much! He doesn't want me to call attention to myself. I can never do what I want and it's just not fair!"

"Matt means well, he's just trying to protect you" Mark said.

"Yes, that's true" he reluctantly admitted. Having second thoughts in showing himself the way he was, he asked hesitatingly, "Do you think I should just wash off the colors?" and added in a small voice, "I don't want Matty to get mad at me."

Mark shook his head, "No, don't wash it off, you look good! Matt may freak out at first but he'll get used to it and … I'll make sure that you're still alive by the end of the day!" teasing Jeff just a bit.

Jeff smiled at him gratefully before reaching up to plant a wet kiss on his lips. Glenn walked out, a towel around his waist. He grinned when he saw that Jeff was already awake.

"Hey there, my pretty, are you okay?" he went towards the bed to check on him and Jeff assured him that he was all right.

Mark got up, "I'll grab a quick shower and then you can have the bathroom. We're meeting the guys in an hour," he reminded them as he disappeared into the bathroom.

Glenn lifted Jeff's chin to kiss him before enquiring anxiously, "Are you sure you're all right?" He had noted the blood stains on the sheets and felt somewhat guilty.

Jeff nodded, "I'm just sore. I'll put on some of the cream that Mark has, it helped the first time."

"I'll help you after you've showered. But before Mark gets out, there's something you need to know."

Very quickly, Glenn told Jeff about Mark's past relationship with Shawn, why they broke up and how Shawn finally got with Hunter. He told Jeff that Mark had remained a recluse after that failed relationship.

"He was devastated when their relationship fell apart. He kept to himself and spent his time with me." Glenn let out a soft sigh, "I blame myself for his loneliness. He refused to go out with anyone and I think it was because he was afraid that the same thing might happen again. We were two lost and lonely souls, having no one but each other, and then, you walked into our lives." Glenn caressed Jeff's face lovingly, "You brought hope and love with you. Mark and I have never been happier! I'm so glad to see him smiling again and it is all thanks to you Jeff, you mean the world to us and we both love you so much!"

Jeff smiled underneath the tears that had formed. They had so much in common, more than they know. He could easily identify with both of them, feeling lonely and misunderstood. It was how he felt most of his life! And their brotherly bond was astounding, similar to what he and Matty shared. When one brother hurts, the other hurt as well and they always looked out for each other. Jeff was deeply touched by Glenn's words. Fate had indeed brought them together, they were kindred spirits and he told Glenn so.

For the first time that he could remember, Glenn's eyes smarted with tears. To him, it was a sign of weakness and he blinked back his tears, turning his head away, not wanting Jeff to see him in his moment of weakness. Jeff knew how he felt. How many times had he been tormented and hurt and had to hold back his tears just so no one would see him as weak and helpless?

He wrapped his arms around Glenn, who held him tightly to him, and whispered, "Thank you for loving me, I promise that I'll never let you and Mark down. You're part of my family now!"

~*~

Kevin glanced at his watch and looked anxiously at the door. The Canadians were engaged in deep conversation with Matt and Scotty and showed no signs of leaving yet. He sighed and decided. He would go out and intercept Mark and Glenn.

Getting up, he informed Hunter, "Stay with them, I'll wait for Mark outside."

But he was just a little too late. Kevin was halfway across the floor when the door opened and Mark led Jeff and Glenn in. Kevin hurried over to them, hoping that Glenn hadn't seen Chris yet but the loud gasps from his table drew his immediate attention. Glenn's eyes narrowed to slits as soon as he saw Chris. Chris was struck speechless, having seen Jeff, his breath was taken away! Everyone at their table was looking in their direction, gawking at him.

Scott let out a low whistle, "Damn, he sizzles! Who wouldn't want a piece of him?"

Matt jabbed him hard in the ribs and hissed at him, "That's my baby brother you're talking about!" making him looked shamefaced.

Adam and Jay were beside themselves. Their mouths hung open as they stared at Jeff with disbelief. His winsome looks took their breath away! Both men blinked, did they just thought of Jeff in a sexual way? They suddenly felt uneasy about themselves.

Hunter wet his lips in appreciation before turning to Shawn, who looked back at him. "What?" Shawn asked but Hunter shook his head. Was Shawn jealous?

Sean stood and went up to join Kevin and the latecomers. "You look fabulicious, Jeff!" he said and winking suggestively at him, asked, "Interested in joining us in a three-some?"

Jeff blushed furiously when Kevin ran his eyes deliciously over him.

Sean chortled gleefully when Glenn pulled Jeff protectively behind him and warned him off, "Stay away Waltman! Go play with Kevin and your toys, you leave our Jeff alone! And Kev, we don't want to share!"

But Sean couldn't resist teasing the big guy, "Please, just lend us Jeff for a day? I promise to make it up to you, you big hunk of a love machine, you!" and he danced his fingers seductively across Glenn's chest. Glenn swatted his hands away while Kevin and Mark roared with laughter at his reaction. Jeff giggled helplessly as Glenn backed towards him, trying desperately to evade Sean's wandering hands.

He finally let out an exasperated sigh and pleaded for help, "Kev, please call off your cub? This is embarrassing!"

Still laughing, Kevin pulled Sean towards him, "Behave! Look how flustered you made Glenn!"

Sean smirked and said, "I know you like the idea too, don't deny it! I saw the way you look at Jeff. I dare you to say that I'm wrong!"

Kevin shrugged helplessly at Mark and Glenn and said, "You're going to have your hands full fending off the wolves but I promise not to take without your permission, you've my word!"

Mark nodded but he silently agreed with Glenn that Jeff was off limits to them. He glanced briefly over at Chris before asking Kevin, "You know what happened between Chris and Glenn?"

Kevin nodded, "Hunter told me but not before I invited them to join us. Is there going to be a problem?"

Mark turned to Glenn who gave Chris a glowering look before succumbing to his better nature, "There's no problem so long as he stays away from Jeff and keep out of my way!" He really didn't want to make things difficult for everyone.

The group headed towards their tables and another table was added to accommodate the latecomers. To everyone's astonishment, Mark chose to sit down beside Shawn, giving him a nod of acknowledgement before turning his attention to the menu. After placing their orders, the three men sat waiting for the waitress to serve their drinks first.

Jeff glanced furtively at his brother who refused to acknowledge his presence. He knew that Matt was fuming and wanted desperately to go over and talk to him. But Chris was seated next to his brother and Glenn might not like the idea of him going over. Resigned to the fact that Matt was going to ignore him for the rest of the evening, he slumped forward, leaning his chin on his hands and let out a sad sigh. Mark frowned. He wasn't expecting Matt to give his brother the cold shoulder.

Shawn cleared his throat and tried to get his attention, "Mark, I huh … I just want to say …" but Jeff got up to go to the washroom and Mark decided to follow him.

Several pairs of eyes followed them as they made their way across the floor. Shawn sighed. Well, Mark had at least sat down beside him, it was a start.

Hunter nudged him slightly and said, "Cheer up, he'll be back and you can try talking to him again." Shawn just nodded.

Mark and Jeff emerged a few minutes later and made their way back but Mark guided him towards Matt's table. Chris immediately stood up to offer his seat and the others shifted to make room. Glenn watched from his table. Reassured that Mark had things under control, he bent to the food that had just arrived and tucked in with gusto.

"I think your brother has something to say to you" Mark told Matt as he sat down next to Jeff, squeezing his hand comfortingly to lend him courage.

Jeff fidgeted uncomfortably, trying to find the right words to say but Matt took it upon himself to say what was on his mind, "Why won't you listen to me? You know you're only inviting trouble when you dress and look the way you do! I don't want you to get hurt!"

Jeff took in a deep breath and mustered his courage to tell Matt, "I'm sorry Matty but I don't see why I can't do things the way I like, it's just not fair!" he pouted sweetly and Chris wished he could kiss that pout away!

Matt looked frustrated and was about to give him a dressing down when Mark interrupted.

"I know how you feel Matt but don't you think Jeff's entitled to his opinion? The attention he gets may not be all desirable but he just wants to be himself. It's not right to let others dictate how you should dress and behave if you're comfortable the way you are. And if your concern is that he'll get hurt, you can stop worrying because he has me and Glenn to look out for him."

Matt knew that Mark was right. He just wanted Jeff safe and knowing that Mark and Glenn had promised to take care of him eased a load off his mind. He turned to his brother who was waiting anxiously for his reaction and gave him a big hug.

"I'm sorry Jeffro, but you know that I'm just worried about you, don't you?"

Jeff nodded as he squeezed Matt tightly, "Yes, but you don't have to worry anymore, Mark and Glenn will take care of me." He released Matt to ask softly, "So, you're not angry anymore?"

Matt laughed lightly, "Of course not, but I need time to get used to your blue hair!"

Jeff giggled and said, "That was what Mark said!"

Glad that the brothers were talking again, Mark got up and said, "Well, now that things are back to normal, we should head back and start on our dinner, I'm famished!"

Jeff got up and told Matt, "I'll talk to you later" and turned to leave.

Being the gentleman that he was, Chris had also stood up and Jeff looked at him. He was about to say something to him when Mark surprised him by pulling him forward to wrap his arm possessively around his waist.

"Lets go Jeff, our food's getting cold." He led Jeff away to join Glenn at their table.

Chris sat down, a smile on his face. He would finally get his chance to talk to Jeff later! Jay burned with jealousy as he saw the look on Chris' face as he watched Jeff walk away. Why didn't Chris ever look at him that way?

Adam knew how he felt and leaned down to whisper to him, "Want to leave?" but Jay shook his head. Adam wasn't sure if it was a good idea to hang around, seeing that Glenn was just a couple of tables away. If Chris even looked wrong at Jeff, Glenn might freak out again and Adam didn't want them to get caught in the war zone. And there was of course, Jay to consider. He had been out of sorts lately, his moods erratic.

His thoughts got distracted. Matt was trying to stop Scott from ordering a bottle of tequila.

"Scotty, just order a couple of glasses but not a whole bottle! Remember what you said?" Matt said as he waved the waitress away after putting in the order for Scott.

Scott pleaded, "Just one bottle? I promise to be good and I'll even share it!"

But Matt shook his head adamantly, "No, baby, you promise me! If you're that thirsty, then I'll order a whole bottle of soda for you!"

Scott made a face but he did promise Matt that he would try. He sighed and relented, "Okay, two tequilas and it's soda from then on."

"That's my baby!" Matt looked proudly at him.

~*~

Raven lay on his bed, thinking. One man preoccupied his thoughts, Jeff. He remembered the first time he saw him, it was at the meeting. The first thing that struck him was his innocence. Raven found it very appealing. He was like an uncut and unpolished diamond, his raw beauty trapped within, yet to be fully exposed. When the catcalls came, Raven could almost taste his fear. And that fear had fed and incited his senses. He had tasted that warm, sweet mouth, had drank from it, drinking his fear, his insecurities and it only made him want him more! And then he had found his journal. It contained his thoughts, fears, dreams. They had stoked Raven's interests to learn about him, to get closer to him and the drawing was a product of his desire to be with him.

Raven growled as he thought of Jeff in the arms of the Deadman and Kane. He didn't belong with them, he belonged with him! Raven sat up, feeling sexually frustrated. He would normally seek out one of his associates to assuage his needs but he knew that Jeff was now the only one capable of giving him that much needed release. He decided to go for a walk. It might help to calm his senses and ease his pent-up frustrations.

~*~

By the time the group stumbled out of the bar, it was almost two in the morning. Scotty stuck to his word but he did cheat. He had kept to his two drinks but somehow, Matt knew that when he wasn't looking, he had nicked the others'. But Matt still felt proud of him. He wasn't drunk and he wasn't the one stumbling on his feet. Surprisingly, Jay and Glenn were the ones who had too much to drink.

When Jeff finally went over to talk to Matt, Glenn wanted to go with him but Mark told him to give Jeff some private time. He didn't want Jeff to feel that they controlled his every movement. Even though he was wary of Chris, he knew it would be a good time to see if Jeff would be able to ward off his charms. The fact that Matt and Scott were there gave him some assurance that they would keep things under control.

Glenn had protested initially but finally agreed to loosen the reins. He had continued to watch anxiously from their table, downing glass after glass of whiskey. Mark had moved the bottle away from him but he only reached out to take it back and after a while, Mark left him to his own devices.

To Mark's pride and joy, Jeff did them proud. Chris behaved himself, making small talk and Jeff responded politely. Occasionally, both men shared some laughs but there was nothing to warrant him going over to pull Jeff back to safety.

While Chris was engrossed with Jeff, Jay was sulking and ended up drinking more than he should. Adam tried to stop him but Jay scowled at him and he had backed off.

Glenn and Jay ended up drunk. Fortunately, the hotel was just a block away and the guys decided to walk back. Mark and Jeff were helping Glenn along, while Chris and Adam helped Jay. The other three couples were strolling arm in arm ahead of them. They finally reached the hotel and went their separate ways.

Mark took most of Glenn's weight as Jeff was unable to hold him up on his side. They reached their room and Jeff opened the door with the cardkey before helping Mark to carry Glenn in. They laid him down on the bed and undressed him. Glenn opened his eyes and mumbled incoherently. He suddenly sat up and puked, the vomit spewed all over the bed.

"Eww…." Jeff grimaced as he grabbed the covers and wiped Glenn's mouth clean of vomit before laying him down.

"Damn it, Glenn, why do you have to drink so much!" Mark muttered as he grabbed the phone, dialing for the operator for assistance. He needed to get the sheets and covers changed. The operator didn't pick up. He tried again and still no response.

"Why isn't anyone picking up?" he growled as he redialed. Just as that moment, Glenn groaned and tried desperately to sit up.

Mark knew he was going to puke again, "Oh no, you don't! Lets get you into the bathroom. You need to get clean up!"

He helped Glenn to his feet and called out to Jeff, "Call the operator to get someone up here to change the sheets and covers" and quickly made his way with Glenn towards the bathroom.

Jeff dialed and redialed but no one picked up.

He muttered to himself, "Maybe something's wrong with our line. I'll go downstairs to get help." Grabbing the cardkey, he made his way out. Mark was busy with Glenn and didn't hear the door closing.

Walking briskly, Jeff pressed the button and waited for the elevator. He was on the twelfth floor. He saw the numbers lit up as the elevator descended from the top floor and finally the door opened. He froze and the man inside did likewise. But the man recovered quickly and pulled him in, covering his mouth to muffle his screams.

"Shhh, don't scream, I'm not going to hurt you," Raven whispered against his ear. He had gone to the rooftop to calm his senses and was returning to his room which was located on the tenth floor.

Jeff tried to pry his hand loose from his mouth but Raven held tightly against it. The lift door opened and Raven dragged Jeff out, relieved that no one was about. Jeff struggled to free himself but Raven was stronger. Keeping one arm locked around Jeff's waist and a hand over his mouth, he carried Jeff towards his room. Pushing Jeff against the door and using his body to hold him there, with one hand still over his mouth, Raven slid his cardkey in and pushed both of them into the room, kicking the door shut. He pushed Jeff to lie on his back on the bed and pinned him with his body, still keeping his mouth covered.

Jeff whimpered with fear as Raven ran his fingers through his hair, whispering, "So beautiful…." He leaned down to inhale his fragrance, "Hmm, you smell so good …" Tracing his fingers lightly along Jeff's jaw line, he felt him trembling. "Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you" he said softly.

Raven was beside himself with excitement. He had dreamt of this moment, Jeff in his bed and beneath him! But, the boy was shaking like a leaf and Raven didn't want him to fear him.

Still speaking softly, he asked, "If I uncover your mouth, will you promise not to scream?"

Jeff wasn't sure he heard right and the confused look in his eyes told Raven that much.

"I'm going to uncover your mouth but you have to promise not to scream" he repeated. And this time Jeff nodded his head to indicate that he understood.

Raven uncovered his mouth slowly and Jeff took in several gulps of air, breathing heavily.

He finally spoke but his voice quavered, "Wh..what … do you want from me?"

"Just you" Raven said simply before crushing his mouth hard against Jeff's. Jeff protested and tried to push him off but Raven wasn't going to be denied of his opportunity. Pulling Jeff's legs roughly apart, he grind himself against him while plundering his mouth. His senses reeling, he thrust against Jeff, feeling as if he was about to explode. Jeff pulled hard on his braids, trying to dislodge his tongue from his mouth but Raven ignored the tearing of his scalp. He moved his hands down to unbuckle Jeff's pants, drawing frantic cries from his victim. Jeff fought him furiously, hitting him wildly but Raven held him tightly. The more Jeff fought him, the more determined he was to have him. He suddenly yelped with pain when Jeff bit down on his tongue and he released him instantly. Jeff screamed and Raven clapped his hand against his mouth, a string of curses leaving his mouth.

Two doors away, Chris sat up, startled in bed. He had just turned in when he heard the scream and he swore that it sounded like Jeff. Getting up quickly and still in his boxers, he pulled the door open and stepped out. Where was the scream coming from?

"Come on, Jeff, help me here! Where are you?" Chris muttered as he looked up and down the corridor, waiting and listening for any sound to tell him where Jeff could be. And then he heard it, there was a thump and it came from the room he was standing next to. Chris put his ear to the door and listened and he thought he heard muffled cries.

Without hesitation, Chris threw his shoulder against the door and yelled, "Open the door, you bastard!" He made sure to make a racket and before long, doors started opening and the occupants stepped out to check what was going on.

Chris pleaded with them, "My wife, she's being held hostage in there! Please help me break down the door before it's too late!"

Two burly guys stepped up to the plate and together with Chris, they rammed the door open.

Raven got up slowly from the bed to face them, a snarl on his face. Jeff quickly scrambled off the bed and rushed into Chris' open arms and began to sob hysterically.

"Shhh, you're safe now" Chris cooed softly as he held his trembling body close to him. He looked up at Raven and spoke between gritted teeth, "You bastard, you tried to rape him!"

The curious onlookers crowded outside the room and one man asked, "Do you want us to call the police?"

Jeff choked out between sobs, "No, please, just get me out of here! I want Mark!"

Chris didn't want to let Raven off so easily but his priority was to calm Jeff down and get him back to Mark.

"This isn't over yet!" he growled before helping Jeff out.

Raven couldn't do anything but glowered as he watched his prize slipped from his hands. Chris thanked everyone for their help before taking Jeff to his room.

The phone rang just then and he picked it up.

"Chris? Matt here! I need your help, Jeff's missing!" Matt sounded panicky.

"Calm down Matt, Jeff's here with me. Raven somehow got his hands on him!" He heard Matt relaying the message and then Mark was on the line, asking for his room number. Chris told him and Mark said, "We're coming!" and hanged up.

He replaced the phone and turned his attention to Jeff. He was visibly shaking and hugging a pillow tightly to him like a safety blanket. Sitting down beside Jeff on the bed, he asked softly, "Are you hurt?" and Jeff looked up at him, eyes brimming with tears and started to cry softly.

Before Chris could comfort him, someone rapped on his door and he got up to open it. Mark, Matt and Scott pushed passed him and Jeff cried out, throwing himself at Mark. Mark held him tight, rocking him gently and whispered comforting words to calm him down. Finally, Jeff's tears subsided and he leaned heavily against Mark, sniffling softly.

Matt bent to kiss his brother on top his head before moving silently to Scott's side. Jeff didn't need him. Mark had taken over his role as his protector. He was quite relieved to relinquish that role to him.

Mark continued to hold Jeff but turned his head to address Chris, "Where did you find him?"

Chris related the incidents leading to the rescue. "I wasn't even sure if it was Jeff but I decided to chance it because he could be in danger!"

Mark was visibly trembling with rage. He was going to pay Raven a visit once he got Jeff settled down.

Matt asked him in a quiet tone, "Why did you let Jeff go out by himself?"

It was Jeff who roused himself to explain, "It's not Mark's fault. He was helping Glenn in the bathroom and I couldn't get the operator so I thought it was safe to go and get help. I didn't stop to think. I'm sorry, I really am!" He started to sniffle again.

Mark hugged him, "You've nothing to be sorry for, but Raven? I'm going to make him pay for hurting you!" A sudden thought crossed his mind and he released Jeff to ask anxiously, "Did he do anything to you, bits?"

Jeff buried his burning face into his chest and mumbled, "He didn't get far."

"We should call the police" Scotty said but Jeff raised his head to protest, "No! Just let it go, I don't want this to get out! Please?"

Matt stepped over to sit beside him, "Jeff, what if he tries again? It's the second time he has tried to get his hands on you."

Jeff shook his head, "It won't happen again! I won't go off by myself anymore and I have Mark and Glenn to take care of me. Please, I don't want to involve the police in this!"

Matt looked to Mark for a decision.

"We won't report this if you don't want to but Raven is going to regret laying his hands on you!" The look on Mark's face sent shivers down their spines.

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Reviews greatly appreciated …………………………………….


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 14

Sleep was hard to come by. Adam lay on his bed, staring into the darkness, there were so many things going through his mind. First and foremost, he was worried about Jay. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Jay drunk. Jay was usually calm and logical but last night, he had gotten drunk because he was upset. Ever since Chris started showing an interest in Jeff, Jay had started to change. His normal cheerful disposition had diminished and he often lapsed into moody silence. Last night was the crux. Jay's action proved that he was in love with Chris but he didn't want to admit it openly because Chris didn't feel the same way about him. Adam believed that if Jeff reciprocated Chris' affections, Jay would have accepted their relationship and moved on, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case here. Jay might be clinging to the hope that Chris would return his affections once he realized that Jeff was beyond his reach.

And something else irked him. Adam was troubled by his own reaction after he saw Jeff last night. He was totally blown away by his hot looks! How could he think of him as sexy and lust after him if he wasn't gay, right? He was seriously starting to question his own sexual inclinations. What the hell was wrong with him? He hadn't felt this way about any other man before! Well, that wasn't exactly true. His predicament was compounded by another realization, and that was he was probably falling for his friend, Jay. He had actually felt jealousy towards Chris. What he wasn't sure was if these feelings were manifested because of what he felt for Jeff or was it his feelings for Jay?

He sighed. He had no answers to all his questions but he prayed that he would get some soon because they were costing him a good night's sleep! He knew he was going to look horrible in the morning with dark circles under his eyes and probably a few more wrinkles would make their appearance, caused by all that worrying. He glanced at his watch. It was almost five in the morning. He settled himself down to some shuteye before Jay woke and maybe, if Jay was willing, both of them could sit down and examine their feelings.

~*~

Just like Adam, Chris found it difficult to go to sleep. The earlier incident had miraculously worked in his favor. Mark had actually warmed towards him, grateful to him for going to Jeff's rescue and Chris knew that he was one step closer to getting what he wanted. If he could keep himself in Mark's good graces, he might have a chance to get close to Jeff.

Grinning at that thought, he made up his mind to pay Jeff a visit later to check if he was okay, and at the same time, gauge if Mark and Glenn were more receptive to having him hanging around them.

He frowned, his thoughts suddenly going back to Raven. He was actually surprised by his brashness. The man knew Jeff belong to the formidable brothers but his action showed him to be either very brave or downright stupid to do what he did! He had taken a great risk by going after Jeff like that and Chris doubted that he would live beyond tomorrow night once Mark and Glenn got their hands on him!

After Mark left with Jeff, he had gone back to confront Raven. The lock to his room was damaged and he had easily gained access but Raven had already left with all his belongings. _'He must have gone into hiding!' _Chris decided. _'He knows that they will come for him.'_ And that thought reminded him of his own predicament. He had to tread carefully around those two, knowing how possessive they were of Jeff. One wrong move and he could end up in a shallow grave! Chris felt a shudder run through his body and decided not to let his thoughts wander in that negative direction. He prayed that things would continue to work in his favor. Closing his eyes in contentment with that thought, he fell fast asleep.

~*~

Raven sat fuming in bed. He had just checked himself into another hotel, primarily to escape the wrath of the Deadman and Kane. He knew they would be coming for him.

'_I almost had him!'_ Raven twitched angrily as he thought of Jeff's warm body pressed against him. '_Damn that Chris Jericho, he just had to play hero and ruin everything!'_

Raven knew he was going to have to use his wits to stay away from the brothers, his life was at stake! They were going to hunt him down and he had to find a way to keep out of their way. However, he was not a man without any means. Raven knew Bradshaw and his associates would watch his back. They wouldn't stand back and let the Deadman and Kane have their way with him, but they might have to atone for his sin.

He decided to find Bradshaw first thing in the morning to let him know what went down that day. _'Better to get him prepared before those two got to him.' _Raven thought to himself. _'I hope he won't give me up to them,'_ suddenly feeling unsure if Bradshaw would stand by his actions. He did go behind his back and took Jeff without his approval but he hoped that Rhyno and the rest would talk him around to see things his way.

He lay back on the bed, preparing to get some sleep. No sense worrying too much until he knew where he stood with Bradshaw and after a few moments, he fell into a restless sleep.

~*~

Mark held Jeff in his arms. He had finally settled down and was sleeping soundly. His pup had whimpered and tossed the whole night and Mark had comforted him with soft words that fell on deaf ears. Jeff wasn't awake, he was having a nightmare! Mark couldn't wait to get his hands on Raven! He decided that once Glenn was awake, he would leave Jeff with him while he searched the Birdman out. He closed his eyes wearily and waited for morning to come. No one hurt their little one and get away with it!

Several hours later, he felt Glenn stir and turned his head to watch him. Glenn groaned as he shifted and finally opened his eyes. His head throbbed with a vengeance.

Mark called out to him softly, not wanting to wake Jeff up, "I need you to stay with Jeff, I am going hunting."

His words roused Glenn fully awake. He immediately shifted closer to them and asked, "What happened?"

Quickly, Mark told Glenn what took place last night. As Glenn listened, his features switched from disbelief to anger and by the time Mark finished, he had made up his mind.

"I'm not going to let you deal with him yourself! We know that Raven will not be alone. He'll have his people to back him up. We're going into this together, Mark!"

"Are you sure you're up to it? You puked your guts out last night and we can't leave Jeff by himself" Mark said as he tightened his hold unconsciously around Jeff, feeling overwhelmingly protective over him.

"I'm fine, except for this damn headache and it's putting me in a disagreeable mood! You can't stop me from going and hell, I just feel like hurting people today! As for Jeff, we can get Kevin to watch over him while we take care of business!"

Mark agreed to go along with Glenn's idea but warned him, "We have to find him first. He knows we're coming for him and he could have changed room last night."

Glenn nodded and tried to hold back a groan, his head throbbed when he moved too much.

Mark noticed and his mouth quirked in amusement, "Serves you right for drinking so much!" he said but his demeanor softened when he saw how wretched Glenn look. "I've some aspirin in my bag, take two and grab a shower. I'll call Kevin and see if he can come over and watch Jeff."

Glenn did as told and dragged himself to the bathroom. Mark picked up the phone and called Kevin, giving him a quick rundown of last night's incident and asked if he could babysit Jeff while they hunt down Raven.

"Sure Mark, but I'm going with you. I can get Hunter and Shawn to watch Jeff instead."

Mark started to protest but Kevin cut him short, "Hey, he hurt Jeff and Jeff is Matt's brother. I think Matt would like the Kliq to delve out some punishment on their own on his behalf, and don't forget, there are five of them and there's only two of you!"

Mark let out a frustrated sigh and said, "I don't want to get you involved because if Vince finds out …"

Kevin cut him off, yet again, "Even if he finds out, he can't do apeshit! He knows that this is not within his jurisdiction and he will turn a blind eye to this. Trust me! I know what I'm doing" Kevin assured him.

Mark reluctantly gave in and they arranged to meet half an hour in his room. Hanging up, Mark turned to place a kiss on top Jeff's head before sitting up slowly. He sat thoughtfully on the bed as Glenn walked out from the bathroom and started to pull on his clothes.

"Everything all right?" he asked as Mark continued to sit there, unmoving.

"Yeah, just thinking and oh, Kevin's coming along with us and they'll be here in half an hour. I better go grab that shower."

He quickly moved into the bathroom before Glenn could ask why Kevin was tagging along. Glenn moved to the bed to check on Jeff who had cuddled Mark's pillow to him. His lashes lay so prettily over his eyes and he was breathing softly. Smiling, Glenn leaned forward to kiss him on the lips, murmuring softly, "Sleep well tweety, we'll be back soon."

Mark came out soon after and got dressed quickly. He and Glenn conversed softly. They didn't want to wake Jeff before the others came. There was a soft rap on the door and Mark moved to open it. The Kliq, led by Kevin, walked in. Matt immediately moved towards the bed to check on his brother.

Kevin looked over at Jeff and asked, "How is he?"

"He didn't sleep well, nightmares, I think." Mark said.

Kevin nodded, "Hunter and Shawn will stay here with him. The rest of us will go with you."

Glenn looked uneasily over at Shawn. Would Shawn say anything to turn Jeff against them?

Shawn seemed to know what he was thinking and tried to convince him otherwise, "I know that you don't trust me but …"

He didn't get a chance to finish as Mark interrupted, "No, it is fine" and that somewhat surprised Glenn but he kept silent. They had more important issues to attend to. He cracked his knuckles unconsciously, eagerly looking forward to breaking some bones and cracking some heads!

Mark turned to Kevin, "Let us go check his room but I doubt he's still there. We may have to find him first."

Just as they were about to leave, Jeff woke. Matt smiled down at him, "Hey, you're finally awake."

Jeff was surprised to see him there. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he sat up slowly. He looked in confusion at the congregation in the room. "What's going on?" he asked.

Mark and Glenn moved to sit with him and Mark said, "We're going out to look for Raven. Hunter and Shawn will stay here with you. Just stay put until we get back, okay?"

Jeff hesitated before asking, "What are you going to do to him?" and Glenn answered with a low growl, "Break him into pieces!"

To their surprise, Jeff pleaded with them, "Please don't! You'll get into trouble and Mister McMahon will blame me for causing trouble and fire me!"

He grasped tightly to each of their hands and said, "Please, just let it go!"

Mark spoke in a firm but quiet tone, "We can't let this go, Jeff. Raven crossed the line when he put his hands on you! If we don't do something about this, he would be emboldened to try again. We have to go Jeff, just be good and stay here until we come back."

Mark kissed him and stood up. Jeff reluctantly let him go and Glenn chucked him under the chin and said, "Hey, cheer up and stop worrying. We'll be back before you know it!" He bent to kiss Jeff too before standing to join Mark.

The six men moved out, leaving Hunter, Shawn and Jeff behind. Jeff slumped back against the bedpost and sighed wearily. Smiling, Shawn went to sit beside him.

"You're tired? Maybe you want to lie down and sleep some more. Hunter and I will keep watch. You've nothing to worry about."

Jeff gave him a shy, tentative smile. Shawn was his idol and he felt somewhat awkward to have him sitting next to him when he was only clad in his boxers! And yet, he had not forgotten what Glenn told him, Shawn was the man who broke Mark's heart! He was torn within. A part of him admired the man before him, while another part warned him not to trust him.

Hunter realized that he was uncomfortable and tried to put him at ease, "Mind if I turn the tv on while we wait?"

Jeff shook his head and mumbled, "No, go ahead. I can't sleep now, anyways."

But he really looked exhausted and Shawn coaxed him to lie down, "Just lie down and rest then."

He was really tired and he slid down the bed, hugging Mark and Glenn's pillows to him. Their smell comforted him. It was as if they were beside him. His eyes slowly closed and succumbing to his exhaustion, he snoozed.

Shawn studied him while he slept. The boy was far prettier than he thought! He frowned, now, that might turn out to be a curse instead! He had seen the way the others looked at Jeff, they all wanted him and they were starting to move in! Raven, Chris, Bradshaw, Rhyno and even Kevin and Sean, all of them would love to bed the naïve North Carolinian.

Shawn looked over at Hunter and found him watching him. "What?" he asked. Hunter had been giving him those looks lately and he wondered what was going on. He got his answer soon enough.

Hunter smirked and said, "Jealous?"

Shawn rolled his eyes and got off the bed gently. He didn't want to wake Jeff up. Making his way casually towards Hunter, he sat down on his lap.

"Mind saying that again?" and without warning, he tweaked hard on a nipple, causing Hunter to gasp in pain.

"Aww…. Damn it Shawn! That really hurts!" Hunter complained as he rubbed his bruised nipple gingerly.

"Serves you right for taunting me!" Shawn said with a pout. He looked over at Jeff and then back to Hunter, "Is he prettier than me?"

Hunter shook his head fervently, "I'm not going to answer that question! Jealousy has a way of rearing its ugly head and I just felt its claws!"

Shawn huffed and slapped him on the chest and moved to get off but Hunter forced him back on his lap, "Don't be like that, Shawnie, I was just kidding. Jeff's pretty but I'm not in love with him, it's you that I love!" and Hunter nuzzled lovingly against him.

Shawn closed his eyes and sighed blissfully as Hunter nipped at his neck. He smirked when Hunter took his hand and moved it to his twitching manhood and said, "Feel that? It's coming alive just for you! No other man could do that to me!"

Stealing a quick look at Jeff and seeing that he was sound asleep, Shawn slid off Hunter's lap to the floor between his legs. A mischievous gleam in his eyes, he whispered huskily as he rubbed his hand against Hunter's arousal, "So, it's all for me huh? Well, lets see if it tastes as good as it looks!" and he slowly pulled down the zipper and fished out the impressive rod from its tight confines.

Hunter groaned as Shawn flicked his tongue at the slit on his cockhead. He slid his fingers into Shawn's hair and tugged gently at it while whispering, "Suck me, baby, take it all the way in …" and groaned out loud when he did that. Shawn smirked with satisfaction as he worked his tongue and mouth, sucking and licking and alternatively, stroking the hardened length with brisk strokes, drawing lusty moans from the big man. He was taken aback when Hunter pulled him up and started to undo his pants.

"Hunt, no! What if Jeff wakes?" Shawn protested as he tried to keep his pants on.

Hunter growled, "Don't care!" and he practically ripped his pants off. He pulled Shawn to straddle him and holding his cock, pushed it into the tight, warm heat of Shawn's body. Shawn gasped as the throbbing monstrosity slid all the way in. He held tightly to Hunter as he thrust up slowly in long, hard strokes. Both men soon started to pant harshly, their bodies thrusting against each other rhythmically. They were fast approaching orgasm when Jeff stirred, roused by the harsh pants and groans emitting from the two. Shawn wasn't aware of his awakening as his back was turned and just when Jeff opened his eyes, he climaxed with a muted shriek and Hunter followed immediately after with a growl, keeping his eyes on Jeff's face. Jeff blushed to his roots, realizing that he had intruded into their private moment. He turned his back to them, giving them time to get dress. He heard the bathroom door opened and then closed. Sighing with relief, he turned on his back only to find Hunter looking at him from the foot of the bed. He gulped nervously as Hunter approached him from the side.

Still feeling embarrassed, Jeff muttered an apology, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

Hunter just stared at him wordlessly and it only made Jeff feel uneasy. Why was Hunter looking at him like …? His thoughts were left hanging when the bathroom door opened and Shawn walked out.

Hunter looked over to Shawn and smiling amiably, said, "Jeff just woke up."

~*~

As expected, Raven was not in his room. A quick check downstairs revealed that he had checked out of the hotel. Mark and Glenn were furious! The bird had flown the coop and they didn't know where to look!

Kevin suggested, "He could be hiding in Bradshaw or any of his friends' rooms."

The group found out which rooms they were staying and headed there immediately. Unfortunately, despite their ensued threats, Bradshaw and his members insisted they didn't know where Raven had disappeared to. Mark and Glenn could only smolder with rage. They had underestimated Raven and he managed to escape their vengeance. But they knew that it was only a matter of time before their paths meet again and then, they would settle the score!

Just as they were about to leave, a door opened and Chris stepped out of his room. Seeing the group, he quickly made his way towards them.

"I know you're looking for Raven. I went to confront him last night but he was already gone by the time I got there!" he informed them.

Mark thanked him for the information and turned to leave but Chris called out, "Can I see Jeff?"

Glenn practically snarled at him, "No!"

Chris turned pleading eyes to Mark. He hesitated for a moment before putting an arm on his brother's shoulder and said, "Let him see Jeff, we owe it to him."

Glenn just growled and moved away. As Chris moved to follow, Mark caught his arm and warned him, "Don't get use to it. I'm only allowing it because you save Jeff but if you try anything funny, you'll face dire consequences. You got that?"

Chris gulped and nodded. Well, at least, he would get to see Jeff. He would deal with the rest of his problems when he crossed the bridge.

~*~

Adam woke to see Jay looking out the window. He turned his head when Adam got up from his bed.

"You're okay?" Adam asked as he joined him at the window.

Jay nodded, "Yeah, just this bloody headache and that queasiness in my stomach!" he said with a grimace.

"Take some aspirin and get some food in there," Adam suggested as he moved to sit on a chair.

He hesitated momentarily before asking, "Jay? Come sit here, I need to talk to you."

Jay frowned as he sat down, "What?"

Adam sighed, "Now, that is exactly what we need to talk about! You're so cranky all the time!"

"I'm having a hangover, Adam! Of course, I'm cranky!" Jay snapped out.

"No, that's not what this is all about! You're jealous and you're angry and that's why you're so cranky!"

"Adam, don't start with me. I'm not …"

"You can deny all you want but hell, I know you better!" Adam interrupted. "Is it so difficult to admit that you love Chris?"

Jay turned his head away and kept silent. Adam got up to go to him and squatted beside his chair, "You love him, don't you?" he asked softly.

Jay's eyes brimmed over with tears and he snatched them quickly away and sniffled.

"It's okay, Jay. Nothing wrong in admitting it, I understand how you feel."

"No, you don't! No one understands how I feel!" Jay choked back a sob, trying to stop the tears from falling.

"Then why don't you try telling me and make me understand. I'm your friend, Jay, don't you trust me?" Adam asked with a hurt look on his face.

Jay shook his head, "I don't know, I mean, I trust you but I just don't know how to tell you how I feel."

"Okay, why don't I ask the questions and you answer them and maybe, we can find the answers you need" to which Jay finally nodded his agreement.

Adam got up to sit back on his chair.

"You love Chris?"

Jay nodded with some hesitation. Adam let out a sigh of relief. Finally, Jay had admitted to himself! They're making headway.

"And you're sad and angry because Chris is paying attention to Jeff instead?'

Jay nodded yet again.

"Do you plan on telling Chris how you feel?"

Jay shook his head.

"Why not?"

"He will reject me."

"But what if he doesn't?"

"He will because he's in love with Jeff!"

"But Jeff doesn't love him and if he knows that you love him, he may reciprocate your feelings."

Jay looked dubious for a moment before asking, "You think I should tell him?"

Adam nodded, "I don't think you should tell him, I **know** you should tell him!"

"But what if he rejects me? I will lose him for good!" Jay cried out in exasperation.

Adam moved to take him by his shoulders, "Jay, if you don't tell him, you're definitely going to lose him! There're always risks involved but don't you think you should take them? I mean, if I'm in love with someone and I don't tell him and end up losing him, I would hate myself! Even if he rejects me after I've told him, I can lay the matter to rest and moved on. You can't keep hanging on to him when he doesn't even know that you exist!"

Jay wiped his tears on his shirt and looked up at Adam, "You really think I should?"

Adam nodded, "Yeah, I really do. And if he rejects you, then you know where you stand and you can move on without regrets."

Jay moved quickly to hug Adam tightly, "Thanks Adam, I don't know what I'll do without you!"

Adam returned his hug and whispered, "I know, I feel the same way about you."

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………….


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

The reviewers are just awesome! Each of you has your own thoughts about bits of the story and (ahem) I'm not going to say who's right on target and give the plot away. Keep on reading and you'll find out!

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Chapter 15

Raven slammed the phone down. He had just spoken to Rhyno who had given him the bad news, Deadman and Kane were out looking for him, and so were the Kliq!

"Fuck!" Raven muttered angrily as he got up to pace, "Now, I even have Kevin on my ass!"

He growled as he paced. He was fortunate to get out when he did. He had called Bradshaw earlier to tell him what went down the night before and had swallowed his pride as he bore the embarrassment of a severe tongue lashing from him. At the end of it, Bradshaw was gracious enough to tell him that they had his back. He had felt so relieved to hear that. His whereabouts would be kept a secret and his friends promised to keep him posted. They told him to lie low for a while and wait for tempers to cool down. But Raven had no intention of doing that. He had a lot to do, starting with Chris. _'I'll make him pay for destroying my chance with Jeff! There's no chance in hell I'm going to let him get his hands on Jeff at my expense!'_

Raven spent the latter part of the morning thinking how he could get back at the two men he hated most. He grinned deviously as the wheels in his mind started to turn. Yes, it was time to put his plan into action and by the time he was through, Chris and the Deadman won't even know what hit them!

~*~

"I don't see why we had to let him in," Glenn groused as he slid the cardkey in to open the door for everyone and turned to glare at Chris, "Jeff's probably still in bed and not ready to receive anyone!"

Chris just gritted his teeth and kept his peace. He didn't want to cross swords with Glenn and blow his chance of seeing Jeff. Mark just shook his head and led the way in. Glenn had not stopped muttering threats all day. He was in the mood to hurt people and was upset that things didn't go his way. First, Raven got away and then that Canadian doofus was allowed to come and visit Jeff!

The Kliq followed Mark in with amused looks on their faces. Chris was about to step past Glenn when he put his hand out to stop him, "No funny business!" he warned, fuming outwardly when Chris' eyes flashed angrily at him. For a moment, he contemplated putting him through the wall but finally decided against it. Jackass was here by invitation and he didn't want Mark at his ass for misbehaving. He grudgingly let him passed.

Upon entering, Mark's eyes had immediately gone to the bed and sure enough, Jeff was still in bed, in a t-shirt and boxers. He wasn't sleeping though. When he heard the door and saw Mark entered, he practically flew from the bed.

"Mark!" Jeff squealed happily as he threw himself into his open arms and hugged him tightly around his neck. Mark let out a chuckle and waited for Jeff to release his death grip before saying, "Wow! You really miss me!" He smiled fondly down at him, glad to see that last night's incident had not completely unfazed him.

Glenn spoke up, "Hey, what about me? Don't I get a hug too?"

Mark put Jeff down and he flung himself at Glenn, giggling when Glenn swung him in a full circle before pecking him on the lips and then put him down on his feet.

"Jeffro, have you forgotten your dear old brother?" Matt asked as he folded his arms and waited for Jeff to notice him. He couldn't help feeling just a trifle jealous of the attention the two men received from his baby brother.

Beaming, Jeff went up to him and kissed him fondly on the cheek and said cheekily, "How can I forget my most favorite brother!"

Matt laughed, "I'm your only brother, Jeffro" to which Jeff answered, "Yes and you're the best!" He followed that remark by giving Matt an affectionate bear hug, who returned it with a proud grin on his face.

"So, did Hunter and Shawn mistreat you while we were gone?" Glenn asked nonchalantly and Hunter rolled his eyes. Glenn was only kidding but something flashed across Jeff's face. Glenn wasn't sure if he had seen it and frowned, keeping his eyes on Jeff's face.

Jeff kept his reply vague, "I slept some and we watched cartoons together." He moved forward to stand between the brothers, comforted by their mere presence.

Glenn breathed out easy, he must be mistaken. "Was Scooby Doo on?" he chuckled and patted Jeff's 'Scooby Doo' boxer-clad backside with a knowing smirk. He so owned that pretty tight ass! Jeff was wearing the new pair of boxers he had bought at the mall.

He didn't get a reply because Jeff was looking bashfully at Chris who was grinning like an idiot. Glenn narrowed his eyes with displeasure. He didn't like Chris feasting his eyes on their Jeff.

Deliberately placing himself to block his view, Glenn said, "Come on, twiddles, go get changed. We're going out to eat. Hear that? My stomach's rumbling!"

He could feel Chris' eyes burning holes into his back and grinned deviously. He wanted to aggravate the man further. _'Let him see what he's been missing!'_

Wrapping his arms possessively around Jeff, he growled huskily, "Hmm … can I just have a quick nibble?" and playfully nipped at his neck, causing Jeff to blush fully with embarrassment at the public display.

Chris bit down on his lip, going green with envy at the affectionate display. He wished he was the one holding Jeff close to him and nipping his neck! Kevin and Sean smirked openly while Matt covered his eyes and groaned softly, drawing a chuckle from his Cuban lover. Mark's eyes twinkled as he watched Glenn cuddle their pup. Jeff was the only one he knew who could bring out the genial side of Glenn. Not many people saw this side of Glenn.

Hunter cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Did you find Raven?" he asked.

Mark shook his head, "No, he checked out of the hotel. We checked his friends' rooms but he wasn't there. They claimed they didn't know where he went. They're lying."

Shawn cut in abruptly, "Can we discuss this later? We haven't had breakfast and it's almost noon!"

Kevin clapped and rubbed his hands together in glee, "Yeah, chow time! I'm famished! Now, where shall we go eat?"

After a short discussion, they decided to meet at the Italian restaurant at the mall. Mark told them to go ahead first. They would follow once Jeff got dressed. He looked over at Chris who was still lingering at the back. Chris watched the Kliq members leave and looked to him, wondering if he was invited to go along.

Sighing with resignation, Mark told him, "Why don't you call Adam and Jay to join us? We'll meet you guys at the restaurant."

A big smile lit up Chris' face as he muttered his thanks and left. As he made his way to his friends' room, he thought gleefully to himself, _'I think I might have a chance after all!'_

~*~

Everyone tucked into the Italian fare with gusto! Jeff twirled the spaghetti around his fork and fed it to Glenn who obligingly opened his mouth to accept the food. Mark realized that Jeff wasn't eating. In fact, he had been almost quiet and appeared listless.

Worried, he leaned forward and asked, "You're not eating, are you sick?"

Jeff shook his head and said, "No, I'm just not hungry."

Matt overheard him and said, "But you love spaghetti!" He studied his brother anxiously and asked, "Is something wrong?"

Jeff gave him a weak smile and mumbled "No".

He put down his fork and reached out to take a sip of water, evading their watchful eyes. Mark stared at him, something was bothering his pup.

He pushed his chair back and stood up, "If you'll excuse us, we're just going for a walk. Come on, Jeff."

Glenn looked up in surprise but a discreet nod from Mark assured him they would be all right. Jeff got up and slipped his hand into Mark's, giving him a questioning look. Mark just smiled and led him out of the restaurant. They strolled hand in hand till they came to an indoor children's playground. No one was about and they sat down on the benches.

"What's wrong, Jeff? Tell me what's bothering you" Mark probed when Jeff just sat there quietly.

Jeff gave him a look of uncertainty and asked, "Mark, do you still love Shawn?"

Mark was taken aback. Where did that come from?

He recovered quickly and asked, "Who told you about us?"

Jeff hesitated before telling him, "Glenn told me yesterday and Hunter mentioned it this morning."

With Glenn, he wasn't surprised but Hunter?

"What did Hunter say to you?" Mark asked. He was curious to know as well.

"He said that now that you have me, you can let Shawn go and be happy."

Mark fumed inwardly. Hunter had no right to assume that he still have a hold on Shawn! And where did he get that impression? He had never approached or spoken to Shawn since the breakup.

"Did he say that to you in front of Shawn?"

Jeff shook his head, "Shawn forgot his wallet and went back to get it. Hunter told me when he was out."

Mark leaned back and sighed. Why now?

Jeff probed, "Mark, do you still have feelings for Shawn? Is that why Hunter said what he said?"

Mark phrased his words carefully, "I don't know what makes Hunter think that I still have feelings for Shawn. I've never thought of getting back with him. He made his choice and I accepted his decision."

Jeff nodded that he understood but he couldn't help feeling hurt. Mark didn't answer his question and that spoke volumes. He got up wordlessly and climbed up the slide, letting his long legs dangle down to the side. He still has Glenn. He smiled at the thought but he was still upset.

Mark climbed up behind him and wrapped both arms around him. "Did I say something to upset you?" he asked, resting his chin on top Jeff's head as they leaned comfortably against each other.

It was several moments before Jeff spoke, "It's what you didn't say that upsets me."

Mark turned him around to face him, "Jeff, I'm not good with riddles, just tell me."

And in a small voice, Jeff told him how he felt, "You may have accepted Shawn's decision but that doesn't mean that you've stopped loving him. Hunter thinks Shawn still feels something for you. Shawn might still be in love with you."

Jeff broke off to sniffle, tears slowly filling his eyes. He looked at Mark and said brokenly, "Hunter thinks he's going to lose Shawn and that means that I'm going to lose you! You're both getting together again, right?"

He broke down and cried and Mark pulled him into his arms, letting him sob against his chest. He waited for the tears to subside and when Jeff calmed down somewhat, said, "You're not going to lose me Jeff and do you want to know why?"

Jeff shook his head and Mark told him, "It's because I love you."

There, he had finally said it! Mark felt instantly relieved at his own admission. A warm glow filled his senses.

Jeff slowly raised his head to look at him tearfully, "You do?" he asked in a quavering voice and Mark smiled and nodded, brushing his hair gently away from his tear-streaked face. "Yes, I do. I do love you, bits!"

Jeff's heart soared with happiness and he smiled through his tears. He stopped to think and asked tentatively, "But, what about Shawn?"

Mark sighed and said, "Shawn has to sort out his feelings for himself. I have feelings for him but it's not love, not anymore. I've got over him, I've moved on. And, just so you know, you are the one who helped me to realize that what Shawn and I had was over."

"Me?" Jeff asked, a perplexed look on his face and Mark nodded, "Yes, you."

"But … how?"

"There's something about you. I felt it and so did Glenn. It felt like you're the piece of puzzle that held us together and make us whole. You have somehow managed to break down our barriers and make us fall in love with you" Mark said.

Jeff's eyes brimmed with happy tears. Mark gently swiped them away with his thumbs and laughed, "Happy?" and Jeff nodded fervently, unable to voice out his feelings.

Mark cupped his face and leaned down to kiss him and Jeff responded eagerly, wrapping his hands around his neck to pull him closer. They kissed slowly, letting the other feel just how much each meant to the other. They finally broke the kiss.

Jeff sighed contentedly as he leaned against Mark and murmured, "I hope Hunter and Shawn will just be as happy as we are!"

Mark smiled and said, "They are already there, but Shawn just doesn't realize it and Hunter needs to be patient. They're meant for each other."

He glanced at his watch and pushed Jeff down the slide with him, "We better get back. The others will be wondering what has happened to us."

They made their way back to the restaurant, unaware that they were being watched.

~*~

Adam hissed at Jay, "Tell him when he comes out! If you don't, I'll tell him myself!"

They were at the restaurant and Chris had gone to the washroom.

"Don't you dare, Adam Copeland or I'll never speak to you again!" Jay hissed back. Both men glared at each other.

Matt noticed and asked curiously, "Hey, what's going on with you two? Are you squabbling?"

Both men turned startled eyes to Matt and grinned sheepishly at him.

Adam said, "Huh, we're just having a minor disagreement."

"About?"

Without thinking, Adam blurted out the first thing that came to his mind, "Jeff… we're talking about Jeff."

It was the wrong thing to say because the mere mention of Jeff's name caught Glenn's immediate attention.

He looked over at them, "Why are you talking about Jeff?" he demanded to know.

Adam gulped, his mind refusing to work with the baleful look Glenn sent them. Jay knew they would be in trouble if they didn't come up with a reasonable explanation.

He thought quickly and said, "We were just discussing hair colors and Adam said purple would look great on Jeff but I said green." He faked a short laugh and smiled weakly at Glenn.

Glenn was about to say something when he saw Mark and Jeff returning. Jeff cheerfully plonked down next to him and obligingly gave him a big wet kiss when Glenn puckered his lips for one. Glenn grinned happily but a confused look crossed his face when he noticed Jeff's red-rimmed eyes. He threw a questioning look at Mark who gave him a reassuring nod and smile. Sighing with relief, Glenn turned his attention back to Adam and Jay. He had not forgotten their conversation, unfortunately.

He looked at them thoughtfully, "Purple and green, you say? Hmm, I like both colors but" and his voice suddenly took on a gravely tone as he rasped out, "I would appreciate if you two would stop discussing about Jeff! Don't you have anything else to talk about?" and glared at them.

Adam and Jay shrunk back against their seats. Jeff felt sorry for them and told Glenn, "Glenny, don't be so mean, they're my friends!"

Mark's mouth twitched at the term of endearment, no one else would have got away by calling his brother that! Glenn softened his countenance as he turned back to Jeff. He practically purred when Jeff leaned forward to rub noses with him, giggling softly. Chris came back to the table just then. Glenn scowled, _'When is he going to leave?'_

Mark was almost relieved to hear Kevin said they were done. After settling the bill, the group split up, having their own plans to attend to. They would meet up later to discuss how to flush Raven out.

Chris strode purposefully towards Jeff. He didn't get a chance to talk to him as yet. Glenn put himself in the way but Mark told him in a low voice, "If you want him gone, just let him talk to Jeff and then we can go."

Glenn reluctantly stepped back. He would just need to bear with Chris for a little while longer.

Chris smiled at Jeff and said, "It's nice to see you back to being yourself. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"

Jeff smiled gratefully at him, "Thank you for saving me last night. Maybe, I can return the favor some other time."

He had noticed the attraction Jay had for Chris and was contemplating of getting them together. Chris was about to ask Jeff if he would like to go to a movie when Glenn pulled Jeff to his side, eager to leave. Jeff gave him a small wave before linking his arms through Mark and Glenn's and left with them, a bounce in his steps.

Sighing, Chris turned back to Adam and Jay who were waiting for him. They appeared to be having a heated discussion and stopped when they saw him approaching.

"What's up guys? Is something wrong?" Chris looked at both of them curiously.

"Jay has something to tell you," Adam said and pushed Jay forward. "I'll just leave you two to talk."

He walked away, keeping a distance to give them privacy but staying within visual just in case Jay needed him.

Chris turned to Jay and asked, "What is it you want to tell me Jay?"

Jay stammered and stuttered, "Well … huh … I … huh … don't know how to say this but … huh .." he gulped nervously and looked helplessly over at Adam. Adam mouthed at him to 'just tell him!'

Jay bolstered his courage and tried again. Taking a deep breath, he blurted out quickly, "Chris, we've been friends for a while and I've always admired you. But, I think I'm beginning to have feelings for you and I'm not talking about just friendship. What I feel for you is more than that. What I'm trying to say is that, I think I'm in love with you!" He looked at Chris nervously, waiting for a response.

Chris stood there with his mouth opened in shock. He was struck speechless! Jay lowered his eyes in disappointment when he still didn't say anything and muttered, "Sorry, just forget what I've just said" and turned to leave.

Chris recovered and reached out quickly to grab him. Jay looked at him, confusion and hurt in his eyes.

"Jay? I ... I really don't know what to say" Chris admitted and Jay nodded, "Yeah, I know. It must have been a real shocker to hear that" he mumbled under his breath.

"You really like me that way?" Chris asked and Jay raised his eyes to look at him and nodded, blushing just a little.

"Wow! I didn't know!" he paused to think before saying, "I'm not making any promises but we could just go out on a casual date or something, you know, just to test the waters?"

Jay broke into a smile and nodded, "Yes, that's a great start!" and then doubts overtook him again, "But, are you sure? I don't want to force you if you're really not interested."

Chris smiled at him, "Jay, I like you, you're my friend. To be honest, I feel kind of weird right now. But hey, we're just going out. It's not like we're going to jump into bed and have sex!"

He laughed when Jay blushed furiously. He turned to Adam and beckoned him to come over and as soon as Adam joined them, he poked him in the ribs and said, "So, you knew all along! Why didn't you just tell me!"

Adam forced a grin. "Jay wasn't sure how he felt about you. Huh, so are you two going out?"

"We're just testing the waters" Jay answered quickly and when Adam gave him a puzzled look, he elaborated for his benefit, "We'll just go for a date and see how things work out."

Adam turned back to Chris, "So, does this mean that you've given up Jeff?"

Chris fidgeted uneasily and murmured, "I … I don't know. I haven't decided."

"You can't be chasing Jeff and going out with Jay at the same time! Someone's bound to get hurt!" Adam told him in an exasperated tone. He knew that somehow, Jay would end up getting his heart torn out.

"Hey, what do you want from me? I said I would like to give this a shot but I never said anything about giving Jeff up!"

"You can't be dating two guys at the same time!" Adam looked at him with disbelief.

Chris retorted, "Well, Jeff's going out with Mark and Glenn and they seem to get along just fine!"

Furious, Adam started to say, "You greedy son …." but Jay cut him off, "Please Adam, don't say anymore!"

Adam stared at him, surprise written all over his face. "Don't tell me you're going along with this?"

Jay was at a loss. He agreed with Adam but he didn't want to lose his chance with Chris. "Please, let us wait and see where this leads to."

"It may be too late by then! Mister Want-It-All here might just break your heart into a million pieces! And don't expect me to stick around and put it all back together for you! I'm done here!" Adam fumed and turned on his heels, stomping away without a backward glance.

Jay looked at his retreating back and back to Chris, undecided if he should go after his buddy or stay with Chris. Chris let out a sigh and said gruffly, "You better go after him. I'll talk to you later."

Jay smiled gratefully at him and took off after Adam immediately. Chris muttered to himself as he watched him go, "Maybe I should just tell him the truth."

He let out a frustrated sigh. He really didn't want to hurt Jay by saying no but what else could he do? He cherished both men's friendship and didn't want to jeopardize their relationship but had he done the right thing by lying? And now, Adam was pissed at him! Chris didn't know what to do. He walked away, lost in his thoughts and failed to notice the man trailing him.

~*~

Hunter and Shawn were hard at work on the treadmill machines. They were jogging side by side, keeping pace with one another. After twenty minutes, Hunter stopped his machine and got off. He grabbed his bottle of water and chugged down half of it before moving to the bench and waited for Shawn to finish. Shawn went at it for another five minutes before stepping off the machine. Grabbing his towel, he wiped the perspiration off his body and sat down beside Hunter.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked as he prodded him with his elbow.

Hunter looked at him, "Shawn, we need to talk."

"I'm listening, what's wrong?" Shawn turned to face Hunter and gave him his full attention.

Hesitating slightly, Hunter asked, "Remember the talk we had yesterday and you said you wanted to make your peace with Mark?"

Shawn nodded and asked cautiously, "Yes, what about it?"

"I think Mark has already made his peace with us. Haven't you noticed? He sat down beside you last night and this morning, he didn't raise any objection to us staying behind to look after his pup. Glenn still doesn't trust us but Mark is beginning to come around."

Shawn thought over what Hunter just said. "You have a point there. So, why are you bringing this up?"

"Shawn, this is the time to go talk to him and resolve our differences with him. I want the past buried so all of us can move on. What do you say we go see him now?"

"We have plenty of time for that. Anyway, Mark has his hands full right now, having to deal with Chris and Raven. I don't think we should talk to him as yet," Shawn said as he got up, "Come on, move your lazy ass! We have still a long way to go."

Hunter reluctantly dropped the issue. He couldn't explain it but somehow, he felt that Shawn was putting off talking to Mark for a reason. He still held the suspicion that Shawn still has feelings for his ex and that bothered him. But his other voice reminded him that Shawn said he loved him and shouldn't doubt him.

He was beginning to get worried. It was only yesterday that Shawn was so anxious to talk to Mark so why was he having a change of heart? Was he jealous that Jeff won Mark's heart and that he was no longer the center of attention and wanted to try and win Mark back? This thing could blow right in his face if he wasn't careful! If Shawn and Mark ever got talking and become friendly again, they might rekindle their love for each other and where would that leave him?

He was jolted from his thoughts when Shawn called out to him, "Hunt, please don't just stand there, come and spot me!"

Hunter got up to assist him, thoughts still reeling in his mind. He had watched the brothers closely and realized that they were emotionally attached to Jeff. Likewise, after talking briefly with Jeff that morning, he felt that the boy looked upon the brothers as more than his protectors. He could detect a lot of affection in Jeff's voice when he spoke about them. Maybe, he was worrying unduly. He prayed hard that Jeff's bond with Mark and Glenn was strong enough to hold them close to him. He just couldn't lose Shawn!

Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………….


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 16

"Adam! Wait up!" Jay finally caught up with Adam who turned around, an annoyed look on his face.

"What do you want? I thought you were going out with HIM?"

"Please Adam, don't be angry. I want you to come back with me!" Jay grabbed his hand and tugged at it, looking pleadingly up at him.

Adam looked at their joined hands. It was the first time that he noticed that Jay's hand fit perfectly into his. He didn't pull his arm away and just stood there, staring sullenly at the ground.

"You are my best friend and I know you're looking after my interests but we have no right to ask Chris to give up on Jeff. If things work out between us, Chris will voluntarily stop seeing Jeff but not before then."

Adam finally raised his eyes to look into Jay's. He hated to admit it but Jay was right. If he was in Chris' shoes, he might probably have done the same thing.

"Okay, I may have acted rashly but I'm still worried about you. Are you sure you want to go through this because you may end up getting hurt?"

Jay nodded, "I know but that's a risk I'm willing to take. So, will you come with us?"

"You mean you want me to go out on the date with the both of you?" he asked, bewildered at the request. Jay nodded.

"But … what if you start kissing? It's going to be awkward!"

Jay laughed and punched his arm, "I promise that if we're going to kiss, I'll send you away. And for your information, I don't kiss on first dates!"

Adam gave him a lopsided grin. "If you say so but give me fair warning if you want to get touchy feely! Are you sure Chris doesn't mind me tagging along?"

Adam really liked Chris and realized that he had probably overreacted. Chris might be overbearing but he was trustworthy and a good friend. He had taken them under his wings from the very first day they joined and they got along famously. This was the first time he had openly clashed with him.

"You know as well as I do that he wouldn't mind. In fact, he told me to come after you" Jay informed him.

"Wait, so you didn't come after me on your own accord?" Adam frowned in feigned annoyance.

Jay laughed and said, "Don't start with me! Come on, let us go and find him. He should still be in the building" and he dragged Adam along. He was looking forward to his first date out with Chris!

Adam still had mixed feelings about the whole situation though. He was happy for Jay but what if things didn't work out, what then?

'_Jay knows that could happen. I hope he's going into this with his eyes wide open. Guess there's nothing I can do except to make sure that I'm there if he needs me.' _

Resigned to that fact, he followed on the heels of Jay. Whatever happened, Jay would always have him!

~*~

"What are we doing here?" Jeff asked, looking perplexed at his two men. They had just entered the jewelry shop, the one which Mark bought their bracelets from.

Both men didn't answer him but just pushed him down on a chair as the saleslady that served them yesterday came forward to greet them.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" she smiled pleasantly at them.

"Yes, our love here wants to get his ears pierced and we would like to look at some earrings" Glenn said and winked at Jeff.

Jeff gasped and blinked at him in surprise. "How did you know?" he asked.

"I saw you checking out the earrings yesterday and I just knew. So, tell the lady here how you want it done, one ear or two?"

Jeff bit on his lip and hesitated. Glenn told him softly, "I know what you're thinking but you're not paying for it."

Jeff only shook his head adamantly, "No! Both of you have given me so much already. I can't accept any more gifts! Matty will give me a tongue lashing if I continue to take more gifts from you!"

He got up to leave but was pushed back down by Glenn who told him firmly, "I'm not taking no for an answer! You just leave Matty to me. Now, we don't want to keep the lady waiting, do we?"

Jeff was about to protest again when Mark said, "Accept the gift as a token of our love then. Your brother will not object to that."

Jeff was completely overwhelmed by their generosity and love for him. Eyes filling with tears, he hugged Glenn and Mark as best as he could. "I don't deserve you two!" he muttered as he sniffled back his tears of happiness.

Both men finally talked him around to accepting their gift. After Jeff got both his ears pierced, they looked at the earrings on display. Jeff decided on a simple pair of silver ball earrings. He thought they were elegant yet not too feminine and they could be worn out to the ring. Mark and Glenn studied him after he had put them on and nodded their approval. They went back to look at other designs. Mark finally picked up a pair of emerald stone earrings while Glenn chose sapphire. Jeff gasped when he looked at the prices and started protesting but they waved his protests aside and asked the saleslady to wrap them up. After paying for their purchases, the three men headed back to the hotel. But instead of going back to their room, they headed towards Kevin's room.

Kevin himself opened the door to let them in. Grinning, he asked, "What took you so long? Sean was getting impatient."

Sean snorted, "Don't listen to him! He's just as excited as I am!" and suddenly gasped as he noticed Jeff's pierced ears and earrings.

"Wow, you look gorgeous, Jeff!" Sean gushed with sincere admiration, making him blushed. "I didn't know that a guy could look so cool in earrings! I think I want to get my ears pierced too! What do you say, Kev?"

"Anything you want, Sean" Kevin said before turning to the brothers, "Want me to come with you? I can get Scott and Matt to watch these two."

Unbeknownst to Jeff, Mark and Glenn had made prior arrangements for him to stay with the Kliq while they went out to look for Raven.

Jeff immediately looked at Mark and Glenn, "Where're you going? I want to come to."

"We're going out to look for Raven. You'll be safer if you stay here with Sean until we get back" Mark said and turned to Kevin, "We'll take you up on your offer. We can get things done a lot quicker if there're more of us."

Sean spoke up, "I can watch Jeff. Get Scott and Matt to go with you instead. The five of you would be able to cover more places in a shorter time" and seeing that Mark and Glenn were casting him looks of uncertainly, assured them, "I won't let anyone in and if there's trouble, Hunter and Shawn are just next door."

Kevin threw in his vote of confidence, "Don't worry, Sean knows what to do. I'll call Scott now."

Scott and Matt readily agreed to help and they arranged to meet in the lobby immediately. Matt was personally looking forward to avenging his brother. The three men left after bidding their lovers goodbye. Sean locked the door immediately after them. He turned to find Jeff looking at him shyly.

Grinning, he went to sit beside him and asked, "Have the two been treating you well?"

Jeff nodded happily, hesitating only for a moment before deciding to confide in Sean, "They told me they love me and I love them too!"

Beaming at him, Sean said, "I'm not surprised at all! They immediately took to you when they first saw you but I'm a bit surprised that they are willing to share you."

Jeff blushed and mumbled, "They're brothers and are very attached to each other. They don't mind sharing and neither do I."

Sean giggled, "If I were you, I wouldn't mind sharing my body between those two! They're huge and I can imagine the intense pleasure of being stuffed by both of them!"

He giggled some more when Jeff blushed furiously and asked in a conspiratorial tone, "Did you let them do you at the same time? How did it feel? Did they bleed you? How many times a day do you have sex with them? Who's better in bed?" and waited with anticipation for Jeff's reply.

"Sean… that's too personal!" Jeff protested, causing his new found friend to burst out with laughter.

Sean finally said, "Okay, no more teasing, I promise! What's this?" he asked, noticing the paper bag Jeff had been holding in his hands.

Jeff grinned broadly and opened it. "Mark and Glenn bought earrings for me! Want to see?"

He opened the boxes and proudly showed Sean the emerald and sapphire earrings. Sean let out a whistle of appreciation before looking at Jeff with envy, "Damn! You just found yourself two gorgeous hunks of men who are not only generous but would do anything for you! You must be one hell of a good fuck to get them to fall all over you!"

"Hey! Did you just insult me?" Jeff frowned at Sean.

Sean shook his head, "No, Jeff, I'm paying you a huge compliment. You've done what no one could and that was to bring the meanest and baddest brothers in the company to their knees! I'm impressed!"

"They're not mean! They're sweet and lovable and kind ….." Jeff started to say but Sean cut in, "and damn good fuckers too! I bet they made you scream like you never did when you came!" and grinned deviously at him.

Sean enjoyed watching Jeff blushed. The boy was really pretty and when he dolled up, he looked devastating! He started imagining him sandwiched between Kevin and himself … His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by Hunter calling out. Sighing, he got up to unlock the door to let them in. Shawn was taken aback to see Jeff there, who greeted them with a smile. He couldn't help staring at Jeff's new earrings. Sean quickly explained his presence, telling them where the others had gone to.

"We just drop by to see if Kevin has any plans for tonight" Shawn started to explain when he noticed the two jewelry cases lying on the table.

He grinned and asked Sean, "Since when did you start wearing jewelry?" and moved closer to take a look.

"They're not mine," Sean said slowly and as Shawn picked them up to examine them, he told him softly, "Mark and Glenn bought them for Jeff."

Shawn froze. His expression was unreadable but the muscles on his face twitched. Hunter knew that he was upset and moved forward to touch him on the arm and say quietly, "Lets go Shawn."

Shawn placed the cases back on the table and moved towards the door. Hunter turned to Sean and said, "I'll call Kevin later and meet you guys for dinner." He turned to stare at Jeff for a few moments before leaving the room with Shawn. Shawn did not say a word.

Jeff glanced uneasily at the closed door and back to Sean. There was a lapse of silence before Jeff asked quietly, "Was Shawn upset?"

Sean immediately went to sit beside Jeff. "You know about Mark and Shawn?" and Jeff nodded before saying, "They broke off but he still has feelings for Mark."

Sean studied him intently and asked, "Are you worried?"

Much to Sean's surprise, Jeff shook his head, "I was at first but Mark assured me that he doesn't feel that way for Shawn anymore. He told me that he loves me," his eyes filled with love as he added, "and Glenn told me the same thing too. I love them both!"

"Good! I'm really glad to hear that! Now, if only Shawn comes to his senses before he hurts Hunter."

"How can we help?" Jeff asked and Sean sighed, "I wish I knew."

~*~

The hair on the back of Chris' neck stood on end and he turned around. There wasn't anyone about but he couldn't help feeling that he was being watched. Shaking off the feeling, thinking that he must be imagining it, he made his way to the escalator. After Jay had left, he had wandered aimlessly around the mall, hoping that Adam would come back with Jay to look for him. He had taken a lift from them and had no way of getting back on his own unless he took a cab. After some time, he decided to just head back to the hotel on his own.

As he stepped on the down-going escalator, he heard running footsteps behind him and a hard push sent him tumbling down the steps. He tried to stop his fall but the downward momentum caused him to hit his head against the side panel, knocking him silly. He was semi-conscious by the time he reached the bottom of the steps.

He heard voices and felt himself being lifted and placed in a lying position. His head throbbed and he groaned, opening his eyes only to see a sea of spinning faces. He closed his eyes and willed the dizziness to go away. He didn't know how much time had passed and felt himself being lifted again. He was being moved. He heard voices and then someone called out his name and a hand touched his face. Forcing his eyes opened, Chris looked upon the worried faces of Adam and Jay and gave them a weak smile before closing his eyes, allowing himself to sink into oblivion as darkness finally claimed him.

~*~

Chris woke up to find himself in a hospital. A doctor was shining a light into his eye and he pushed it away.

He tried to sit up but the doctor pushed him down gently while saying, "Lie still. You have a nasty bump on your forehead."

He allowed the doctor to examine him and after several minutes, the doctor proclaimed, "No broken bones but you may have a slight concussion. I want you to stay overnight for observation. Your friends are waiting outside, I'll let them know."

Chris just sighed and closed his eyes wearily. The throbbing pain was killing him and he decided to ask the doctor for something to ease the pain. He was wheeled out and immediately, Adam and Jay crowded around him. They heaved sighs of relief when they saw him awake. He gave them a wan smile. He was pushed into a room and was changed into a hospital gown. As soon as the curtains were drawn back, he found Adam and Jay beside his bed.

"How're you feeling?" Jay asked softly as he sat down on a chair beside his bed.

"Like I've been run over by a truck!" Chris said and winced at the flash of pain that speared his head.

"Can you get the nurse to give me something for the pain?" He asked in a pain-filled voice and Adam hurried off to get the nurse.

He came back with her who handed him two pills with a cup of water. "Take these and sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

After taking the pills, Chris closed his eyes gratefully and before long, was fast asleep. Adam and Jay stayed by his side, watching him closely. They intended to stay until he woke up.

~*~

Raven smirked as he sat back on his bed. He had returned to the hotel after he saw the ambulance leave with his victim. He called Rhyno and told him what he just did but he didn't anticipate his none too pleased reaction.

"We told you to lie low! You just aggravated the situation with the stunt you just pulled! Now, you'll have Adam and Jay looking for you as well!" Rhyno raged.

"I'm just getting some payback! He should have minded his own business!" Raven retorted.

"Damn it! Do you know that as we speak, the Deadman, Kane and the Kliq are out looking for you? They've been asking around and I heard they've been calling the other hotels, looking for you! If you keep this up, they'll find you in no time!"

"They're out looking for me?" Raven asked quietly and Rhyno sighed, "Yeah, but no one knows where you are except for us."

"Is Jeff with them?" Raven asked and immediately, Rhyno went on the alert.

"No. I didn't see him with them. What're you up to?"

Raven asked who was out looking for him and learning that besides Mark and Glenn, Kevin, Scott and Matt were out looking for him too. He realized that Jeff could only be with Sean. Kevin would never leave Sean behind unless he had put him on watch duty. Yes, Jeff was definitely staying with Sean!

Raven spoke rapidly, "Get Albert and Kanyon to find out where the others are and call me back immediately. And find out which room Sean is staying. I want to know Hunter and Shawn's whereabouts as well. I'll wait here for your call."

He hanged up and started thinking. This was almost too good to be true! The brothers had left Jeff in Sean's care! If the others were not in the vicinity, he would be able to get his hands on Jeff! All he had to do was to get past Sean. He sneered, that would be easy enough!

~*~

"Where're we going?" Hunter asked as he followed Shawn out of the hotel, heading towards their rental.

"Out!" Shawn said simply as he unlocked and pulled the door open.

"Do you mind telling me what's going on?" Hunter asked as he got into the driver's seat.

"I just want to get out. There's nothing going on!" Shawn insisted as he strapped the safety belt on.

Hunter turned to face him, "Bullshit! You're jealous! You're jealous that Mark bought gifts for Jeff! He never bought anything for you, did he?"

Shawn turned furiously at him, "What the hell are you're talking about? I'm not jealous! Why should I be jealous? I can bloody well afford to buy things for myself! I don't need to spread my legs to get people to buy gifts for me!"

Hunter shook his head sadly, "Will you just listen to yourself! I don't know what's gotten into you! You told me that you're over Mark but obviously you haven't! Why Shawn? Why now? Everything was going well until Jeff came into the picture. I don't understand!"

"There's nothing to understand! Is it so hard to believe that I just want to go out? Why are you blowing things out of proportion? You're making things difficult!"

"I make things difficult?" Hunter gave a short laugh, "Stop deceiving yourself, Shawn. You're jealous of Jeff because he won Mark's heart. You're upset because you no longer have his attention. You may not want him but you don't want him to fall for anyone else. You feel good holding the full deck in your hand, having him worship you from afar. You just can't bear to see your control over him slipping away! You're selfish and self-centered! Always have to be the center of attention, don't you?"

Shawn turned crimson with rage. Without warning, he slapped Hunter hard on the cheek, drawing a look of disbelief from him. Both men stared at each other silently.

Finally, Hunter said in a quiet and calm voice, "I want you to think over what you want. If you want Mark, you're free to pursue him but I know he's never going to take you back. He's in love with Jeff and so is his brother. But if you persist and try to ruin their happiness, then I've only one thing to say to you, I'm glad I found out your true self before it was too late!"

Hunter opened the door and climbed out. He strode away without a backward glance. Shawn sat in the car, staring numbly at his retreating back. He couldn't bring himself to go after him. After what Hunter said to him, he felt like he was punched hard in the guts. He swallowed hard and shifted to the driver's seat. He couldn't face anyone right now. Deciding to take a long drive to cool his head, he turned on the ignition and drove off. He needed time alone to think.

~*~

Hunter made his way to the bar. He was angry at Shawn and angry with himself. What was wrong with him? He had lost his temper and shoved his allegations down Shawn's throat!

He called the bartender over and asked for a bottle of Jack Daniels and poured himself a stiff drink, throwing it back before refilling his glass. It wasn't his fault, he decided. If Shawn hadn't slapped him, he might still be with him, trying to talk some sense into him. That slap had hurt. It didn't hurt him physically but it hurt his pride, his ego. He never thought that Shawn would hit him. Throwing back the shot, he refilled and brooded. He had always given in to Shawn, pandering to his whims and fancies. He put him on a pedestal and worshipped him and Shawn loved it!

Hunter drank some more and refilled his glass. It wasn't all Shawn's fault. He was partly to be blamed. He should have sat down and cleared things up with Mark before starting on a relationship with Shawn. Maybe, Shawn wouldn't have felt that he still had unresolved issues with Mark.

He drank up and filled up the glass, noticing he was beginning to feel fuzzy. He waved it aside and drank up and filled up his glass again. God must be punishing him for going behind Mark's back and stealing Shawn from him. Yes, he shouldn't have done what he did but he was always the opportunist. He didn't feel bad at that time but he was slowly beginning to regret his past action. He gave a harsh laugh. Retribution, this must be it! Mark didn't do anything then to get Shawn back. He just stayed away and left them alone. And now, he might lose Shawn even without Mark uttering a word. The irony of it all!

Hunter kept drinking shots after shots, wondering if he had done the right thing. He had told the truth but Shawn couldn't take the truth. Shawn didn't like the truth, more like it! Hunter knew that Shawn didn't love Mark. He just wanted the satisfaction of taking Mark away from Jeff to prove to himself that he could do it! He sighed. Shawn was his best friend, his mate. He loved him with all his imperfections but sometimes, Shawn's ego got the better of him and this was one of those times. He tossed back the drink. He loved Shawn. He would only let him go if he told him he didn't love him anymore.

After paying for the bottle of whiskey and leaving a generous tip behind, Hunter stood up, somewhat unsteadily on his feet. He had decided. There were two things he needed to take care of. First, he would sit down and talk to Mark and clear the air. If Mark still loves Shawn and wants him back, he would step back. Two, he needed to find and talk to Shawn. If Shawn decided to go back to Mark, he would let him leave without question.

His legs felt like rubber as he made his way unsteadily around the tables to the door. He decided to wait for Mark in Sean's room. Mark would definitely return to pick Jeff up. He grinned foolishly as he thought of the boy. So pretty and he looked so much like Shawn! The similarities stopped there. Jeff was innocent, sweet in nature and unpretentious. Shawn was guarded, proud and selfish.

He thought back to earlier on when they were making out. Jeff had woken up and caught them fucking. He couldn't help thinking then what it would feel like fucking Jeff. Shawn liked it rough, loved it when he talked dirty while he fucked him. He wondered if it was the same with Jeff. Would the boy scream and scratch as he drove into him, thrusting his hard cock into his tight tunnel, feeling it enclosed him in a pulsating grip, rubbing against him as he filled the entire passage with hot cum? He licked his lips at the thought. He never looked or slept with another since he met Shawn. Maybe he should. Jeff looked so fuckable. In fact, he looked like a screamer and Hunter relished the thought of having a go at his tight ass. If Shawn could entertain thoughts about Mark, he bloody well could do the same with Jeff!

As Hunter staggered towards the lift, he had a sheepish grin on his face. He decided to proposition Jeff to let him fuck him. And maybe, he would let Sean join them. He sniggered at the thought of fucking them both. Mark and Kevin would be pissed but they wouldn't be able to do anything about it since it would be too late by then! He failed to notice the pair of eyes following him as the lift door closed.

The man watched as the lift climbed and as anticipated, it stopped on the eighteenth floor. He grinned. Time to make his move!

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Reviews greatly appreciated …………………………………………..


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 17

Hunter staggered out once the lift doors opened. He hiccupped loudly and sniggering, put a finger to his lips and shushed himself, "Sshhh … not so loud, you don't want to wake everybody up!"

He stumbled down the corridor, peering at the room numbers and mumbling, "Which one is it?"

He finally came to it and leaning heavily on the door, rapped on the door while calling out happily, "Sean, it's me! Open up! I've something to ask you and Jeff!"

Inside the room, Sean and Jeff looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Was that Hunter?" Jeff asked in a whisper.

Sean frowned and gestured for him to keep quiet. He crept softly towards the door and peeped out through the keyhole. It was Hunter and Sean let out a sigh of relief. He unlocked and opened the door and Hunter fell in, landing heavily on the floor.

Sean gasped as he reached down to help him up, "What the hell? Are you drunk Hunt?" but Hunter's dead weight made it impossible for him to hold him up by himself.

"Jeff, come help me, he's drunk!" Sean and Jeff each put Hunter's arms around them and together, they lifted and staggered with him towards the bed.

"How did he get so drunk in such a short time? He was here only an hour ago!" Jeff asked as he propped Hunter's legs up on the bed.

Sean walked towards the open door and checked the corridor. Shawn wasn't with Hunter. He shook his head as he closed the door and locked it before turning back to his fallen comrade who was mumbling incoherently in his drunken state.

"I don't know what happen but this doesn't look good. Hunter never goes anywhere without Shawn and looking at how drunk he is, my guess is they must have had a fight."

He made his way towards the bathroom and said, "I'll go get a wet towel. Make sure that he doesn't choke on his own vomit if he throws out."

Jeff grimaced at that thought. It was only last night that he and Mark helped Glenn when he spewed his stomach contents all over the bed! He quickly grabbed the waste bin and set it near the bed. _'Just in case,'_ he thought. He leaned down to pull off Hunter's shoes to make him more comfortable. As he straightened up, he let out a squeak of surprise when he was suddenly pulled down on top of Hunter.

Hunter whispered huskily against his ear, "Sweet, sweet Jeffrey, will you let me fuck you? I bet you're a screamer. Hmm … you smell so good …" and buried his face in Jeff's hair.

Jeff squirmed and tried to get Hunter to release him but both his arms were locked tightly behind Jeff's back. Just then, Sean walked back in and froze at the sight. Jeff sent him a pleading look and Sean quickly made his way towards the bed.

"Damn it Hunt! If Mark and Glenn are here right now, you are a dead man!"

He pulled at Hunter's arms but he didn't budge. Jeff struggled to free himself but Hunter only pulled him in closer. He started to nuzzle and nip Jeff's neck.

"Sean, help me!" Jeff gasped as Hunter flicked his tongue around the outer shell of his ear and nibbled on his earlobe.

Moving his mouth to the pulse beating erratically under the skin, Hunter bit down gently before sucking lightly on the skin. _'So sweet … hmm … more … I want more …' _

Jeff shivered against his will and let out a soft moan when Hunter bit down harder, breaking the skin and started to suck on his neck. Sean pulled at his arms with all his strength but it was useless, Hunter refused to let go! He gasped out loud when he saw the blood trickling slowly down Jeff's neck. Jeff looked so helpless, whimpering as he struggled feebly within Hunter's strong grip.

Looking around desperately, Sean looked for something to help him. If he could knock Hunter out, he would be able to free Jeff! And just at that opportune moment, there was a knock on the door. In desperation, Sean didn't think of checking who was at the door. He just needed help! Quickly unlocking the door, he flung the door opened and realized he had just made the biggest mistake of his life!

Before he could move a muscle, Raven's fist flew out and knocked him backwards. Sean landed on his back on the carpeted floor. His senses reeled and he heard the door slammed shut.

Raven pulled him up by his hair and with a wicked grin, whispered, "Nighty night, Sean!" and threw a heavy punch to the side of his head. Sean fell unconscious into a crumpled heap.

Jeff tried to turn his head when he heard a loud thud but Hunter held him still by the nape of his neck, his mouth still latched on his neck. Hot blood coursed through his veins as he felt Jeff's pulse throbbed under his lips. Each beat caused his cock to twitch and he couldn't wait to bury himself deep into the pulsating heat of Jeff's deep, tight passage of love. He moved his arm between them to grope Jeff beneath his pants.

Jeff choked back a gasp and pleaded with him, "Please let me go! I'm not Shawn, I'm Jeff!"

He heard hurried footsteps approaching and thinking it was Sean who had came back to help him, renewed his struggles as he called out desperately, "Help me, Sean!"

Hunter suddenly let out a choked cry and released his grip on him. A strong arm went around his waist and pulled him off Hunter. Jeff watched with confusion as Hunter held his balls and breathed out harshly. He looked to be in pain! Turning his head to his rescuer, Jeff squeaked when his eyes met the dark brown eyes of Raven. Raven leered at him and before Jeff could scream, Raven pulled him close and crushed his mouth savagely against his, muffling his screams. Jeff felt his bottom lip tear as Raven ravished his mouth hungrily. The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth and seemed to send Raven into a frenzy. He struggled for air, his fists flailing uselessly at Raven as he continued to have his way with him.

Just before he almost passed out, Raven released his mouth and panting harshly, whispered huskily, "This is just a taste of what is yet to come! Go to sleep, my wildflower, I'll see you when you wake up!" and a handkerchief filled with chloroform was clapped over his nose and mouth.

Jeff struggled to free himself but was quickly overcome by the sleep-inducing agent. His flailing arms slowly grew feeble and he finally slumped against Raven who held him up and carried him, unconscious, to the couch. Hunter couldn't do anything but watched helplessly as Raven moved purposely towards him. He had been incapacitated when Raven almost crushed his balls with his fist.

Slowly drawing out an iron pipe from his waistband, Raven advanced upon him, his face contorted with anger, "You touched him and for that, you have to pay!"

Without hesitation, Raven swung at Hunter's head. Hunter tried to block the blow with his arms but the impact knocked him back and Raven immediately followed up with a swipe at the side of his head for good measure. Hunter lay motionless on the bed, the blood slowly seeping into the bed covers. Raven tucked the pipe behind into his waistband and walked towards Jeff. He picked Jeff up easily in his arms and kissed him softly on the lips before moving to the door. He kicked it twice and two resounding knocks replied. Smirking, he pulled the door open to face Albert. He was acting as look-out and so far, everything had gone according to plan. They had not been sighted yet.

"Lets get out of here!" Albert urged as he glanced nervously at the lift, almost expecting the doors to open and for the Deadman and Kane to walk out anytime soon.

"You can go! I'll make my own way back!" Raven told him and Albert gave him a brief nod before hastily making his exit.

Raven took the stairs and got out on the fourth floor after checking that no one was in the corridor. He had checked in under an assumed name just before he came up, knowing that he couldn't get far with Jeff without being spotted. Making his way quickly to his room, he leaned Jeff against the door before unlocking and pushing it open. He lifted Jeff and strode in. Walking towards the bed, he placed Jeff gently on it before going back to lock the door. He went to the bathroom to fetch a wet towel. Sitting down on the bed he cleansed the puncture wound Hunter left behind on Jeff's neck, making sure to remove the blood stains completely.

Once he had finished cleaning him up, he stared down at him, watching him breathed lightly as his chest rose and fell gently. The boy's beauty never failed to take his breath away. Reaching out, Raven slowly ran his fingers through Jeff's silky blonde tinted blue hair, loving how it felt against his skin, caressing him like butterfly kisses, they were so soft … He brought the hair to his nose, sniffing appreciatively at the light floral fragrance. _'He smells like wildflowers, just like the ones at home!'_ Raven thought, a gentle smile on his face.

Raven was a very private person. No one knew much about him as he always kept to himself. But in his private time, he read a lot, and many would be surprised to know that he read literature, including poetry. He had a large garden back at home in Georgia which he tended himself. He had grown a large variety of flowers, loving the different colors and smells that wafted through the rooms and spent most of his time outdoors when he was back at home. He was one with nature.

Raven noticed Jeff stirring. His long lashes fluttered and his head stirred restlessly on the pillow. Jeff was about to wake up. Raven let out a sigh, knowing he had no choice. He pulled the bag that was lying on the floor beside the bed towards him. Reaching in, he pulled out a bandanna and tied it around Jeff's mouth. He knew the boy would start screaming once he woke up. He rummaged in the bag before pulling out a set of handcuffs. He had to cuff Jeff to the bed, knowing he would try to make a run for it.

After making sure that Jeff was securely bound and gagged, he sat back to wait. He wanted the boy to be awake before he took him. He wanted him to feel everything that he was going to do to him and if he was lucky, Jeff might even willingly participate and submit himself to him. After he was done, he knew that no matter what happened, Jeff would never, ever, forget him!

~*~

After making fruitless exhausting trips around a ten-mile radius, Mark, Glenn, Kevin, Scott and Matt made their way back to their hotel. They were disappointed. They couldn't locate Raven. He seemed to have disappeared into thin air! Glum and weary, the group decided to head to Kevin's room to discuss their next strategy.

The lift doors opened and there was a group of people standing outside Kevin's room.

'_Jeff!'_ Mark's heart started to race as he and the others quickly made their way towards the crowd. Glenn wore a panicked look on his face.

"What happened?" Kevin shouted as he pushed his way in. The others followed him closely behind. They saw a medic tending to Sean who was sitting on the couch and another man was attending to Hunter on the bed.

An immaculately dressed man stepped forward and identified himself. "Mister Nash? I'm Michael Ford, the hotel manager. Our cleaning lady happened to pass by and saw your friend lying on the floor, unconscious. She quickly called for assistance. We called for an ambulance as the man on the bed was bleeding profusely from a head wound when we found him."

"Where's Jeff?" Glenn shouted, startling everyone as he dashed into the bathroom to check.

The manager frowned, "Is someone missing? The police will be here soon. We'll get you all the help you need."

Glenn ran back out and his frantic look told Mark that Jeff was not there.

Mark headed immediately towards Sean, "Sean, tell us what happened! Where's Jeff?" he asked, trying to keep calm.

Sean cast his eyes down in shame. He had let them down.

Mark gripped him by the shoulders, forcing him to look at him. "Please Sean, we do not have time to waste! We need to know what happen because Jeff's not here! Where's he?"

"Raven came and knocked me unconscious. I don't know what happened after that. When I woke up, the medic was tending to me" Sean finally told him.

"What happened to Hunter? Was he here when Raven came?"

Mark couldn't believe that Raven could put Hunter out of commission. Something didn't seem right and he intended to find out what!

Sean hesitated and looked at Kevin for help. Kevin sat down beside him and said, "Just tell us everything you know. Don't worry about the consequences. We'll deal with them later."

In a quiet voice, Sean told them what happened.

"Shawn and Hunter came by earlier. They left but Shawn was upset. They must have had a fight because Hunter came back without him about an hour later. He was drunk and Jeff and I helped him to the bed. While I was fetching a towel, Hunter …" Sean hesitated and encouraged by a nod from Kevin, continued, "Hunter took advantage of Jeff. I tried to help Jeff but Hunter wouldn't let him go. He bit Jeff and drew blood and I was frantic. Someone knocked on the door and I went to open it, hoping to get some help. I didn't check first. It was Raven. He took me by surprise and knocked me out cold. That's all I remember. I'm sorry guys, I'm really sorry!"

Sean let out a sob. Kevin took him in his arms to comfort him.

Mark immediately turned to the hotel manager, "We need your help! Our friend is in grave danger! We suspect that he has been taken by a man called Raven. If he has Jeff with him, he will not be able to leave the hotel unseen. I believe he's staying in this hotel. I need to know which rooms have been checked in during the past eight hours. We'll search those rooms first and if need be, we'll search every room in this hotel!"

The hotel manager hesitated and told Mark that his request would cause a major upheaval and upset all the guests. Seething with anger, Mark grabbed the phone and called Vince and told him what happened and what he needed. The exchange was rapid and then the phone was passed to the manager. He spoke to Vince for a couple of minutes and then hanged up.

"Follow me, sir. I'll get you the information you want and I promise to give you all the co-operation and help that you need."

Within half an hour, the hotel manager had rounded his staff and gave them orders. They were to co-operate fully and assist in explaining to the guests the need to search their rooms. The police had called in reinforcements. If Raven was still around, police assistance was needed to apprehend him.

Glenn was raging inwardly. He prayed to get his hands on Raven first before anyone else did. He would tear the man limb from limb once he found him! Jeff … he was alone and at the man's mercy! Glenn never felt so helpless in his life!

He looked over at Mark and found him studying the list that the manager had just handed him. Thank God Mark was there, he always knew what to do! Glenn knew that Mark's emotions were in turmoil, yet he was able to keep calm, analyze the situation and take charge. Glenn doubted that he would have thought of checking the hotel one more time but what Mark said made sense. Raven had to be staying in the hotel!

Mark gestured to him to come over and he joined Kevin, Scott and Matt and a group of police officers.

"Each of us had to go with the officers to identify Raven. There were twenty check-ins within the past eight hours. We need to split up and check the rooms" Mark said as he distributed copies of the list. He had already written down their names against the rooms they needed to check.

"What if we still can't find them?" Matt asked in a worried tone.

"Then, we'll just have to search every other single room in the hotel!" Mark said with a determined look on his face, "Lets go!"

The groups split up and the search began.

~*~

Jeff's eyes fluttered open and he stared into Raven's dark orbs. He whimpered when he realized that he was gagged and his hands were cuffed to the bed post.

"Sshhh, don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you," Raven spoke softly and caressed his face tenderly.

Jeff squeezed his eyes tight, praying that he was only dreaming. He opened his eyes and whimpered in fear. This was not a dream, this was real! He started to struggle, trying to slip his small wrists from the cuffs.

"You're a bad boy, still trying to escape me!" he sighed sadly as he took out his hunting knife and Jeff's eye widened with fear. He started to sob hysterically, his cries muffled as Raven sliced his shirt open with the knife.

Jeff started to squirm to get away from his hands but Raven warned him, "Don't move! The knife is sharp and I don't want to cut you wide open!"

Jeff breathed out harshly through his nose but he lay still. He didn't want to die! Raven removed pieces of his shirt and gazed hungrily at his bared upper torso.

"I want to see you completely naked."

Raven placed the knife on the side table. He reached down and started to unbuckle Jeff's belt and pants, drawing frantic cries from him. Jeff kicked and thrashed, tears streaming down his face but Raven continued to strip him until he finally had him completely naked.

"You're so beautiful in every way, mind, body and soul! I can't wait to taste you, to fill you, my little wildflower." His hands slowly caressed his sides down to his thighs. Raven grabbed the back of his knees and spread his legs apart. Jeff cried out, trying to pull his legs together. He didn't want Raven between his legs, didn't want him to violate him!

"Don't fight me. I only want to make you feel good. You'll beg for more once you've a taste of what I have to offer!"

Raven cooed softly as he lowered his mouth to Jeff's tiny pink pucker. He gave it an experimental lick and sighed blissfully, closing his eyes. _'He tastes so earthy, like Mother Nature'_ Raven thought as his body trembled with excitement.

He opened his eyes and looked at Jeff, seeing his wide frightened eyes. He would make those same eyes fill with lust, with desire within the next few minutes. Pushing Jeff's legs up to fold against his chest, he exposed Jeff's sacred hole fully to him and immediately bent his head to his task. He scrapped his teeth against the puckered skin, drawing sharp gasps from the boy beneath him before pushing his tongue into his sweet pucker. He felt Jeff clenched his muscles tight, not allowing him entry but he persisted. Holding him firmly down, Raven forced his tongue in and breached the ring and was rewarded with a long drawn moan from Jeff. His body trembled and Raven knew he would eventually submit to him. Thrusting in and out, Raven worked his tongue deeper into the passage, slurping greedily. Muffled moans emitted from Jeff who writhed under him. Raven grinned with self-satisfaction. He was getting there, slowly but surely. Pulling his tongue out, he took the knife from the side table and immediately Jeff squeaked with fright and froze. He whimpered when Raven drew a line across his own finger and the blood immediately oozed out. Raven pointed his finger down and watched in fascination as the blood dribbled to his fingertips before pooling and falling. He directed the blood flow towards Jeff's pucker, using it as lubricant. He rubbed the blood around his pucker before collecting more and rubbed it all over his own hard cock. Holding Jeff's legs firmly with one hand, Raven directed his cockhead to the bloody pucker and pushed in. He groaned with pleasure as he pushed inch by inch into the hot heat of Jeff's tight passage.

Jeff cried and his tears slowly trailed down his cheeks. Why? Why must this happen to him? Raven filled him completely and started to thrust. Jeff fought the pleasurable sensations building up in him but his body betrayed him. Involuntarily, he arched his body to meet Raven's thrusts, moaning softly. Raven grinned and picked up the pace of his thrusts.

The smile was suddenly wiped off his face when the phone rang. He ceased all movements and stared at it, uncertain if he should answer. He finally made up his mind and reached out for it. No one knew where he was except for his associates. It must be important if they were calling him.

"It's me! Get out now! The police and his friends are searching the rooms right now!" The caller immediately hanged up.

Raven cursed and slammed the phone down. He pulled out and dressed quickly.

Looking down regrettably at Jeff, he bent to kiss Jeff on his head before whispering, "Please don't hate me, I would never hurt you. Your friends are coming so I have to leave. I promise that we will meet again."

Raven pulled the covers over Jeff's lower torso to cover his nudity before putting on a hoody. He pulled it up to cover his head and put on his shades. He sheathed the knife before thrusting it into his carrier. Placing the key to the handcuffs on the side table, he then made his way to the door. Opening it slightly, he looked out but no one had started searching his floor yet. He looked back at Jeff one more time before pulling the door open and stepped out, closing it softly behind him.

Five minutes later, the lift doors opened and Mark walked out with two police officers and a hotel employee. He looked at the list, only one room to check on this floor. He prayed it was the one because it was the last room on his list. Walking towards the room, he waited while the police knocked and identified themselves. There was no answer and the officer knocked again, louder this time in case the occupant was in the bathroom. No one came to the door and the officer stepped back for the hotel staff to do his job. He slid his cardkey in and the light turned green. The officer asked them to stand back and he opened the door cautiously. A quick glance into the room was all it took. He alerted them quietly before he kicked the door wide open and moved in quickly. He had seen a bound and gagged person on the bed.

Mark waited impatiently at the side, ready to charge in but the officer with him made sure he wasn't in harm's way while his partner checked the room thoroughly.

The officer inside the room called out, "All clear! Call an ambulance, I think we found him!"

Mark dashed in and almost cried with relief when he saw it was really Jeff. He was struggling with the cuffs.

"Jeff!" he called out in an unsteady voice as he removed the gag around Jeff's mouth. Jeff just cried harder, his sobs racking his body. He was so relieved to see Mark. Mark spotted the key and grabbed it to unlock the cuffs. He finally freed Jeff and gathered him into his arms, rocking him and calling out his name softly.

The police officers called out to relay the message that they had found Jeff. The search was called off. Mark held Jeff close to him, swearing that he would never let Jeff out of his sight again. A medic walked briskly into the room and kindly requested Mark to step aside while he checked Jeff over. But Jeff refused to let him go, clasping onto his arms tightly.

"All right, he can stay" the medic reassured Jeff and Mark sat back down but gave him enough room to work.

When the medic tried to remove his covers, Jeff gripped tightly to it and shook his head and uttered a shaky, "No".

"Are you hurt?" he asked gently and Jeff shook his head but his breaths started to come out choppy. There was blood on him, in him but he was too ashamed to let them see, too afraid to let them know.

"Jeff, did he touch you?" Mark asked him in a soft voice and Jeff choked on his sobs, as memories of what took place a while ago flooded his mind. He started to shake uncontrollably and Mark became alarmed. He held him in a tight embrace and let him cry. Jeff's reaction confirmed it, Raven did touch his pup!

His attention was drawn to the voices coming from outside. Glenn and Matt finally found out where they were. They were allowed in and both headed towards them.

"Jeffro?" Matt gently brushed his brother's hair back and saw that his eyes were closed. Jeff had cried himself to near exhaustion.

Glenn threw Mark a questioning look and Mark said, "Later."

The medic stood up and said, "We should bring him to the hospital and give him a thorough examination" which Mark knew to mean that they wanted to run a rape-kit check on him.

At the mention of hospital, Jeff's eyes flew open and he cried out frantically, "Nooo ... no hospital! I don't want to go to no hospital!"

"It's okay, Jeff, you don't have to go if you don't want to" Mark assured him in a soothing voice. Jeff leaned his head back on his chest and closed his eyes wearily.

"I'm going to take you back to our room" Mark said as he wrapped the covers securely around Jeff and stood up with him in his arms.

Matt gasped out loud and Mark looked at him. He followed his eyes and saw his source of distress. There was blood on the bed! Mark looked down at Jeff whose eyes were still closed. The most logical thing to do was to get him to the hospital and have a doctor check on the extent of his injuries. But Jeff didn't want to go and he didn't want to aggravate him.

"Mark?" Glenn looked to him for a decision. He was thinking the same thing as Matt. They needed to get Jeff to the hospital.

"Call Doctor Grain and ask if he can make a personal visit, as a special favor to us" Mark told Glenn and he nodded his agreement.

Doctor Grain was their family doctor. He had just retired a few months ago and Mark knew that he was now residing in New Jersey, where they were currently at.

The police officer told him just as he was leaving, "We'll need to talk to him" and Mark nodded.

He was impatient to get Jeff away from all these people. Maybe, when they were alone, Jeff would then talk openly.

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Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………………………


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Chapter 18

"Please Mark, I need to shower, let me go take a shower, please ….!" Jeff whimpered piteously as he struggled to extricate himself from within Mark's arms.

They were back in their room and Jeff had wanted to scrub himself clean, to remove the blood, the bad memories. He felt dirty, guilty and ashamed. Why did he respond to Raven the way he did? The recollection made his eyes fill with tears. How would Mark and Glenn feel if they knew? He felt like he had betrayed them.

"Doctor Grain will be here soon to examine you. I promise to run you a hot bath afterwards, okay?"

Mark enveloped him safely within his arms, struggling with his own emotions. He wanted nothing more than to go out, find Raven and kill him! But Jeff needed him. Glenn would be back after he had made arrangement with their doctor to come over.

Mark was angry with himself for underestimating Raven. Looking at the distraught boy in his arms, he knew he would not rest until Raven was found. But there was nothing he could do now. Jeff was his priority. He would stay with him, offer him comfort and pray that he would overcome his ordeal.

Jeff finally gave up and lay wearily in his arms. He was still wrapped up in the bed covers. Mark wanted Doctor Grain to give Jeff a thorough examination before allowing him to wash and change. He knew the doctor would need to collect tissues and blood samples as evidence in court.

Totally worn out, Jeff closed his eyes and within seconds, fell into a restless sleep. Mark continued to hold him in his arms. He couldn't bring himself to leave his side. He blamed himself for what happened to Jeff. He should have at least asked Glenn to stay behind!

The door opened softly and Glenn looked cautiously in. Scotty had managed to coax Matt to return to their own room, telling him that Jeff needed rest and that the brothers would take care of him. They would come over to see Jeff later. Glenn sat on the bed beside them.

He stroked Jeff's hair lightly before informing his brother in a whisper, "Doctor Grain is on his way. He'll call us from the lobby once he gets here."

He paused to study their pup before asking quietly, "How is he coping?"

Mark shook his head and replied, "I don't know. We have to wait for Doc to examine him before we know the extent of his injuries."

He rubbed a hand wearily across his face and confided in Glenn, "I don't know how to help him, Glenn! I feel … so helpless!"

Glenn looked sympathetically at his brother.

"We'll get through this together! Jeff knows we love him. He knows we're here for him. As long as we continue to give him our love and support, I know he'll get better!"

For the first time in his life, Glenn found himself comforting his brother instead. Mark seldom revealed his emotions and Glenn knew he must really be upset. When they had gone out earlier to look for Raven, Mark had told him what Hunter said to Jeff. Mark had cleared his doubts, telling Jeff that he no longer loved Shawn and confessed he had fallen in love with him. Glenn had never been so happy to hear Mark say that openly. His brother had finally healed and then, this had to happen! Jeff was in a bad way now. The insurmountable problems thrown at them never seemed to stop. They had to deal with Chris and Raven and after what he just heard about Hunter, he decided that Hunter was going on his list of people to watch out for. When would their troubles end?

Jeff cried out softly in his sleep, breaking up his thoughts. He whimpered, his head moving restlessly on Mark's chest. Mark cooed softly to him, whispering comforting words until he felt him relax against him. Jeff's breathing slowed and he finally drifted off to sleep again. The brothers gave each other worried looks. What did Raven do to Jeff?

~*~

"Shawn, what you and Hunter do on your own time is your business but when something like this happens, I WANT TO KNOW WHY MY MEN, WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION, CAN FUCK UP BIG TIME!"

Kevin roared at the top of his voice, his fury directed at Shawn. Shawn cringed where he stood. He just got back to his room ten minutes ago before the Kliq, and he couldn't help wondering where Hunter was, were banging at his door.

He opened his mouth to ask what was going on when Kevin cut him off, "Don't you dare say a word! I'm not done yet!"

He turned on his heels to sit on the couch, a scowl on his face and informed him curtly, "Hunt's in the hospital and he's seriously concussed!"

Shawn turned pale and wavered on his feet. Sean quickly stepped forward, reaching out to give him support but Shawn pushed his arms away.

"But … how?" he finally asked, regaining control of himself and looked at Kevin with confused eyes. He looked really upset.

Kevin sighed out heavily before relating the incidents that took place during the past three hours. He didn't leave out anything. He told him how a drunken Hunter came on to Jeff, about Raven attacking Sean and Hunter, the kidnapping of Jeff and finally, his rescue. When he finished, Shawn's face was twisted with anger and to everyone's shock, he turned on Matt.

"Your fucking brother is nothing but a cock slut! He already has Mark and now he wants to dig his claws into my man! When I find him, I'm going to fucking kill him! Now, get out of my way, I have to go see Hunt!"

He pushed Matt hard to move past him but Matt retaliated. Grabbing him by his shirt front, Matt thrust his face close, speaking between gritted teeth.

"Listen, you fuck! Let us get something straight here! My brother did nothing to entice Hunter! If you had listened carefully, Hunter was the one who molested my brother! Ask yourself this, why did Hunter get himself drunk and went after Jeff? You just wouldn't leave Mark alone and let him be happy with Jeff, could you? You just couldn't be satisfied with Hunter! No … the Heartbreak Kid just has to have it all! You're the one who drove Hunter to it and created this damn mess! Are you happy now?!"

He pushed Shawn back, leaving him stunned. Scott moved forward, putting a hand on Matt's shoulder to placate him but Matt shrugged it away. He wasn't finished yet.

"My brother doesn't have a single bad bone in his body. He has been tormented most of his life by sick fucks who wanted to get into his pants! You, Hunter, Raven, all of you have issues! So, don't you dare put the blame on Jeff when he was in no way responsible for any of this mess! You don't like to see Jeff with Mark, that's your problem! But he's with Mark and Glenn and no one, not you, not Hunter, not Raven could do anything to change that! So, live with it!"

He turned to leave and said curtly, "I'm done here! I'm going to see my brother!" and made a beeline for the door without a backward glance. Kevin gave Scott a nod of understanding. He went after Matt, closing the door behind him.

There was a long silence and Kevin finally spoke. "He's right, Shawn. Don't make things any worse. Mark is happy with Jeff. And Hunter loves you but you have taken him for granted. If you keep this up, you're going to lose him!"

He got up to his feet, "We'll drive you to the hospital. If Hunter's awake, I think you should clear things up with him. And Shawn … just remember he was drunk, he didn't know what he was doing."

Shawn quietly followed them out the door. He had plenty to think about but right now, he just wanted to go and see Hunter.

~*~

"Please, Jay, I'll be fine by myself. Will you stop fussing?"

Chris was annoyed as once again, Jay was treating him like an invalid. Adam and Jay had stuck around and when Chris woke up, he was pleasantly surprised to see them still there, but not for long. He realized that Jay was worst than his mother. He hovered and fussed over him, insisting in feeding him, wiping his mouth clean, holding the glass of water to his mouth, asking if he was comfortable and jumped to attend to all his needs. But he had just crossed the line. Now, Chris just wanted to go potty and Jay wanted to follow him in, just in case he fainted, he said.

Adam looked amused, trying to hide a grin behind his hand. He knew how stifling Jay could be when he was in his mothering mood and he could see that Chris' patience was slowly wearing thin!

Chris made it to the bathroom alone and closed the door quickly, breathing out a sigh of relief. Finally, he had some peace! As he went about his business, he wondered if he should get himself discharged, he was actually feeling better already after a nap. There was nothing but a dull ache in his head. And that brought his thoughts to the accident he had. He didn't see who pushed him but he was positive that it was Raven. The man was dangerous, he decided. He could have broken his neck! Chris started to feel apprehensive about Jeff's safety but assured himself that Mark and Glen would never let anything happen to Jeff. He couldn't help worrying, though. An uneasy feeling had been gnawing at him since he was admitted to the hospital.

After he was done with his business, he washed up and opened the door, only to find Jay waiting for him outside. Jay placed an arm around him to help him out.

"Please Jay, I can walk by myself" Chris informed him, rolling his eyes.

Jay looked at him sheepishly while Adam sniggered behind his hand. 'Y_ep! Chrissy is losing it!'_

Chris sat on the bed and turned to Jay, "Can you do me a favor and tell the nurse that I want to be discharged right now?"

Jay and Adam were surprised and started to protest but Chris was adamant to leave.

"I feel better and anyways, I have things to do," he insisted.

"But, the doctor says you may have a concussion. What if you faint?" Jay asked with a worried look on his face.

"I won't! Besides, I have both of you to take care of me!"

He decided that that was his best bet to get Jay to stop arguing with him and for him to get out! The two men reluctantly agreed and as preparations were made to get him discharged, Chris decided that once he got out, the first thing he would do was to go and see Jeff.

~*~

Raven sat on his bed, listening to Rhyno as he updated him on the events. They were on the phone. Raven had gone back to his room in the second hotel. No one spotted him leaving and he had watched discreetly from the road as the police came and left. He had waited to see if Jeff was taken to the hospital. When he finally left the vicinity, he had a grin plastered on his face. His wildflower was still in the hotel. Sure, he might be shaken by the whole incident but he was never harmed. He thought back over the last couple of hours and a swell of pride filled him. His pretty wildflower actually responded to his touches! He recalled his taste, the sweet moans, the deliciously tight heat that enveloped him, caressing him ever so lovingly as he thrust into its sweet, hot core. His only regret was that they didn't reach completion. But he believed that it would happen. It was going to take time but it would definitely happen!

Raven savored that thought for a while before reluctantly bringing his attention back to Rhyno. His friend was telling him that Vince was going to fire his ass once he found him. But Raven wasn't fazed at all by the news. It was the least of his worries. His concern right now was to avoid Mark and Glenn and certain members of the Kliq, especially Kevin and Matt. He wasn't worried about Shawn and Hunter, the latter being incapacitated for a while, by him! He remembered the fury he felt when he saw Hunter groping his wildflower but he knew that he was drunk. It didn't mean anything. But he had hurt Sean, Kevin's mate and he knew Kevin was going to hunt him down. And Matt wasn't going to sit back either!

Raven noticed that Matt was overwhelmingly protective over his younger brother. The hugs and kisses they gave each other in public often raised eyebrows. He knew of no other brothers who would display their affection in such a manner. A perverted thought pervaded his mind and caused a shiver to run through his body. What if Matt's feelings for Jeff were more than brotherly? If they weren't brothers, would Matt have, perhaps, made his brother his? Ahh …. incest. It was just a word but the act itself, a brother slaking his lust on his own sibling made him shiver with excitement! He entertained that delicious thought for a moment but reluctantly pushed it aside. He had enough to deal with at the moment without any more distractions. But he kept that piece of information locked in his head. He might have use for it in the future.

He listened to Rhyno ramble on and decided that it made sense to lie low. He arranged to stay at Rhyno's place in Detroit for the time being. When the time was right, he would make his reappearance. Raven was pleased to hear that the Deadman was extremely upset when he found Jeff. He wished he could see his reaction. Rhyno told him that he hadn't been seen since Jeff was found. It wasn't at all what he set out to do but he had exact a little revenge on the Deadman. But he wasn't done with him yet, not by a long shot!

After telling Rhyno to keep him posted, he hung up and started packing his things. He decided to leave immediately before anyone got a hold of his location. His heart tightened at the thought of leaving Jeff behind. He was going to miss him! He swore that he would come back and reclaim Jeff as his! After all, what Raven wants, Raven gets!

~*~

Doctor Grain stepped out and closed the door behind him. He looked at the four men waiting anxiously outside the room. He had finished his examination after coaxing Jeff to take a relaxant. The boy was now resting in bed.

Mark immediately asked him, "How is he?"

"There was no physical evidence of abuse and no semen was found. There's blood in and around his genitals. I've spoken to Jeff. He is confused and upset but he told tell me that the blood wasn't his. He mentioned that this Raven had cut himself with a knife and used his blood as lubricant."

He turned to the two police officers and informed them, "I'll send you my report once I'm done with the tests. You can go in now and get your statement."

Mark and Glenn looked at each other with relief and both made to follow the police officers when Doctor Grain grabbed Mark by the arm to hold him back, "I need to talk to you, alone," he said quietly.

"Glenn, stay with Jeff. I'll join you in a while."

He urged his brother along, unwilling to leave Jeff alone for any period of time. Glenn nodded and hurried into the room.

Mark turned anxiously towards the good doctor who smiled up at him before saying, "Don't be alarmed, Mark. I just found out some things from Jeff which I think you need to know."

Mark nodded and asked, "He wasn't raped?" and the doctor shook his head.

"No signs of rape but he told me that he was penetrated. This man, Raven, what is his relationship to Jeff?"

"He has an obsession with Jeff, from the first time he saw him."

"I see … " the doctor spoke slowly and asked, "and what does Jeff feel about the attention? Does he encourage Raven?"

"Wait a minute! Jeff never once encouraged Raven! He was kidnapped and taken against his will!"

"Woah there, Mark, don't get worked up! I just want to understand the situation so that I can offer some advice. Now, I have talked to Jeff but I need to understand the relationship among the three of you and his relationship with Raven. He told me that he sleeps with you and Glenn. Is that right?"

Mark looked defensive, "So? Is there a problem?" he asked in his usual gruff manner.

Doctor Grain just smiled at him and said, "No, there's no problem. I'm happy for you and Glenn. I'm not telling you how to live your life, Mark, but could you and Glenn refrain from having intercourse with him at the same time? I noticed some tearing and Jeff told me what happened. You and Glenn are huge and you could end up hurting him without knowing it. So, one at a time, okay?" and to his amusement, Mark actually flushed but he nodded.

"Good. Now, the other thing I want to talk about is Raven. Has Jeff said anything to you about his feelings for this man?"

Mark was deeply perturbed by his question. He had a feeling that the doctor was trying to tell him something.

"Jeff never said anything about that. When Raven first took advantage of him, he bit him and when he sent Jeff a drawing of both of them engaged sexually, Jeff tried to hide it from us. He didn't want any trouble."

Mark paused before asking cautiously, "Is there something I ought to know?"

Doctor Grain nodded and said, "Jeff told me that he yielded when Raven took him. He couldn't understand why and was afraid that you and Glenn would abandon him once you find out. I didn't understand the relationship between Jeff and Raven but now that you have explained, I see his problem. He's trapped in his own thoughts that he has betrayed you and Glenn by how his body reacted to Raven. The boy hasn't a clue that it is only natural to respond to sexual stimulation. You best sit down and talk to him. He is guilt-ridden. Well, I've done all I can. You go in and see him now. I think he needs to know that you and Glenn still want him, still love him. I told him that I'll tell you how he feels and you have to take it from here. Well, I better get going. Martha is waiting for me at home. It's my turn to cook tonight. You boys come by when you can, and bring Jeff along. She would love to see you and Glenn again!"

After thanking and bidding the doctor goodbye, Mark joined Glenn and Jeff. The police officers had finished taking down Jeff's statement. They said that they would contact them if they had any leads on Raven's whereabouts.

Mark waited for them to leave before going into the bathroom to fill the tub. He had not forgotten his promise to Jeff. Making sure that it was hot enough, he added bath salts and went back to the room.

"Lets get you into the hot tub. We'll stay in and order dinner. How does pizza sound?"

Jeff perked up immediately and requested in a small voice, "Can I have cheese and ham?"

He was famished! He didn't have breakfast, hardly touched his lunch and he could hear his stomach rumble at the mention of food.

Mark smiled indulgingly at him and said, "Anything you want!" and Glenn added, "I want anchovies!" and Mark nodded and said, "We'll have that too! Glenn, you place the order while I get Jeff in the tub."

Mark lifted Jeff into his arms and carried him into the bathroom. He lowered him into the hot water and kneeling beside the tub, started to slowly sponge Jeff's body. Jeff leaned back and allowed himself to be pampered. He dunked his head in a few times to get his hair wet, the straggly wet strands curling around his face and shoulders. He looked vulnerable.

His dark emerald eyes finally lifted to meet Mark's and he asked hesitatingly, "Mark? Did the doctor say anything to you?"

Mark's hands suddenly stilled and he asked, "You mean about Raven?"

Jeff couldn't help blushing but he nodded. "Are you angry with me? I can understand if you are." He said and averted his eyes sadly from Mark's.

Mark dropped the sponge into the water and cupped Jeff's face with his hands. He looked into his eyes and said, "I'm not angry. You don't have to feel ashamed or guilty, you did nothing wrong. Your body just reacted naturally to sexual stimulation. So, don't give it another thought. I'm just glad that you're back safely in our arms!"

He leaned forward to press a kiss against Jeff's sweet lips. Jeff's eyes brimmed with joy and he wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him down closer, deepening the kiss. Soon, moans and wet kissing sounds filled the closed quarters as the kisses grew feverish.

Jeff managed to gasp out between kisses, "Mark, I need you! Please, take me!"

Mark caressed Jeff's mouth lovingly with his tongue and whispered, "Here?" and Jeff answered in a voice laced with desire, "Yes, please hurry! I need you in me!"

Mark quickly stripped off his clothes while Jeff studied him with abated breath. He loved the light dusting of hair covering the wide expanse of Mark's chest. Mark often shaved them off but he wished he could leave them alone. He found chest hair sexy! His eyes moved slowly down from Mark's chest southwards, finally resting them on the semi-erection rising from the nest of dark red curls.

He leaned forward, reaching out to grasp Mark's hips to pull him closer, "I want to suck you" he said in a soft voice before wrapping his lips around his cockhead and sucked gently.

Mark held onto his head, eyes closed and rolled his hips forward in a gentle thrust, enjoying the warm flush slowly spreading through his body from his groin outwards. He groaned when Jeff took him in deeper into his mouth and slid up and down his hardened length, tightening his mouth against it. When did the boy become so good at this?

Jeff continued to pleasure him with his mouth and Mark almost came when Jeff accidentally scrapped him with his teeth. He jerked and gasped, his body trembling as his hold on Jeff's head tightened. Jeff grinned, in spite of himself. He just found out that some pain fueled the excitement and was eager to find out what else he could do. Experimentally, he nipped at the cockhead, causing Mark to jerk and groan. He carefully scrapped his teeth along the length, causing Mark to hiss while his breaths came out in ragged gasps. He released Mark and grinned teasingly up at him. A low rumble escaped Mark's throat, a warning sign but Jeff ignored it. He was focused on his next move. He rolled Mark's balls with one hand while the other pumped Mark's cock. Starting from the base of the cock, Jeff nibbled along the vein to the tip before teasing the slit with his tongue. Mark let out a long drawn groan of pleasure. He beamed proudly, feeling amazed that he could exhort such intense feelings in Mark with just his mouth.

Encouraged by his accomplishment, he captured the head with his mouth and gently bit down on it. With a growl, Mark gripped and pulled him out of the tub, surprising him. Did he do something wrong? He let out a squeak when Mark crushed his mouth, kissing him hungrily. Mark pressed his body close, letting Jeff feel his throbbing hardness. There was nothing gentle about his kisses. They were hard and demanding and Jeff felt himself responding eagerly. He returned Mark's kisses just as fervently.

Mark finally released his mouth, allowing him to breathe and whispered seductively, "I let you tease long enough, it's my turn!"

Mark lifted him onto the counter and hefted his feet over his shoulders. Jeff was left wide open to him. Leaning down, Mark flicked his rough, sinewy tongue around the puckered skin, causing Jeff to gasp. He clenched his fists tight and moaned when Mark pushed his tongue into him.

"Markkkk …." he called out deliriously as Mark worked his tongue deeper into him. He arched his hips forward against Mark's mouth who grinned wickedly at the blonde. He continued to pleasure Jeff until he was a trembling, writhing mess. He had brought him close to oblivion and it was time to bring both of them to completion. Both were hard and throbbing for release.

He pulled out his tongue and lubricated his cock with the hand lotion sitting on the shelf before pushing his cockhead in. It slid past the ring of muscles and Jeff gasped out sharply, squeezing his eyes shut. There was pain but it was pleasurable pain. Mark pulled his legs to wrap around him before lifting him to lean on the counter and pushed his whole length slowly in. Jeff mewled in pleasure when Mark started to move, thrusting into his body with firm, hard strokes. He latched his mouth around Mark's neck and suckled, crying out against the skin when Mark slammed into his body hard and furious. The pace grew frantic and Jeff felt the heat pooling at his groin. He was about to climax and Mark knew it. He wrapped his hand around Jeff's cock to pump him in time with his thrusts. With a howl, Jeff came. His body arched forward and he stilled, his eyes rolled back as his cum splashed against Mark's abs and covered his hand. His spasms locked around Mark's cock with a vengeance and milked him. Mark roared his release as he thrust deep into Jeff, spilling his love seed into his lover's sacred passage.

Both men slumped against each other, Jeff against Mark who leaned heavily against the counter to support both their weight. After regaining his strength, Mark gingerly withdrew his cock and grinned with satisfaction at the sated look on Jeff's face. He stepped into the tub with Jeff in his arms and turned the shower on to wash themselves. Once he was done, he pulled the plug to drain the tub before climbing out to take a big towel to dry Jeff and himself off before wrapping it around his waist. Jeff stood naked before him and he laughed as he picked him up in his arms, ignoring his protests.

"Marky, I can't go out naked! What if Matty's in there?"

"Only Glenn's out there. He won't let anyone in, even Matt, unless I say so!"

Mark said as he opened the door and walked out. To Jeff's relief, only Glenn was present.

Glenn turned towards them, his arms folded across his chest and a full pout on his face. "You should have invited me! I could hear you two and I felt left out!"

He grumbled as he moved forward to sit on the bed just as Mark put Jeff down. He pulled Jeff to cuddle against him. "How're you feeling tweety? Did Mark make the pain go away?"

To his astonishment, Jeff realized that he hadn't even once thought of his ordeal. He nodded happily and gave Glenn a kiss. Glenn wrapped him protectively in his arms and said childishly as he looked at Mark, "You had your turn, he's mine tonight!"

Mark grinned and gave him a nod of agreement which Glenn returned happily. His eyes suddenly gleamed mischievously as he thought of how he was going to torture Mark back for making him stand outside and listen while he made Jeff groan, moan, mewl and holler. There was a door between them then but tonight, he intended to have Jeff make all those sounds with Mark lying just beside them!

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Reviews greatly appreciated …………………………………….


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Thank you one and all for your wonderful reviews!

KakashiXIrukaLover - glad to know that you like this story! Keep on reading, I'll try not to disappoint!

Seraphalaxiel - Raven is as intelligent as they come. He has so many tricks in his bag and one should never underestimate him!

redsandman99 - *sigh* I was hoping to get at least some of the readers to like Raven. He kinds of grow on you after a while, like your character James Lawson. Well, lets see if I can change your mind in future chapters!

NeroAnne - Have I ever told you that I just simply adore your lengthy reviews? Aha, I love them! I like to think that Mark's natural hair color is red. He used to wear that color during his younger days. It fits him but his natural color is brown. Yes, poor Shawn is confused. It's going to take a while before he sets himself straight!

BellaHickenbottom - It's pure torture to listen to Jeff keen and can't do anything to assuage your own needs! Mark is going to find out just how Glenn felt at that time!

Shocky-Weirdomness, Takerslady, Esha Napoleon, Rratedauthor and cornetice78, thanks for your reviews in the previous chapters! Hope you will catch up with this story and review!

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Chapter 19

Matt knocked on the door and waited anxiously for it to open. Scott was standing beside him, his hand grasping Matt's, giving him strength. It had taken him a while to finally calm his angel down. But every time Matt thought back to Shawn's words, his anger refueled and he became agitated. He just couldn't stay away any longer. He needed to see his brother, to make sure that he was okay. He had entrusted Mark and Glenn with the task of protecting Jeff but apparently, even the best could be bested at times. He didn't blame them. He knew how difficult it was to be on the guard 24/7.

Footsteps were heard approaching the door and after a moment, the door clicked open to reveal Mark. He nodded a greeting before pulling the door wide open to admit them. Jeff and Glenn looked up from the bed. They were watching a movie and Jeff cried out, "Matty!" before springing off the bed and throwing himself into Matt's waiting arms.

"Jeff" Matt whispered tearfully as he embraced his brother tightly. He held him for a moment before releasing him and checked him over anxiously, "Did he hurt you?"

Jeff's eyes suddenly dimmed and he buried his face in the crook of Matt's neck. He didn't know what to say to that. Matt rubbed his back comfortingly and looked over to Mark, seeking an explanation. Mark spoke quietly, "Let us take this outside" and opened the door.

He waited patiently while Matt told Jeff he would come back in a while before leaving the room. Mark and Scott followed behind. Once the door closed, Mark immediately told them the doctor's assessment; that Jeff wasn't physically hurt although he was penetrated. He felt no need to divulge Jeff's feelings on the matter.

Matt was infuriated. "Whether Jeff suffered any physical pain is beside the point! That freak kidnapped my brother and forced himself on him! When I find him, I'll cut off his dick and shove it inside his mouth and make him eat it!"

His enraged words took Scott by surprise but not Mark. He shared the same emotion as Matt, Raven would rue the day he laid his hands on Jeff! Scott rubbed Matt's shoulders, trying to ease his tension. Matt leaned into his touch but there was an unreadable look in his eyes when he looked up at him.

"I'm sorry Scotty. I don't care if Shawn and Hunter are members of the Kliq! If either one hurts my brother, I'll make them sorry!" He removed himself from Scott's grasp and opening the door, re-entered the room.

Mark looked thoughtful and finally asked, "I can understand how he feels but what was that about Shawn?"

"The fool agitated Matt by accusing Jeff of trying to steal Hunter away from him and then threatened to hurt his brother! If he keeps this up, not even Kevin will be able to protect him!"

Mark stared at him in disbelief for a moment before asking, "Shawn said he wanted to hurt Jeff?"

"No, he didn't say hurt, he actually said kill! I don't know how this is going to end, Mark. Shawn's jealous of Jeff. Ever since you and Jeff got together, he hasn't been happy but he's just being selfish. He has hurt Hunt's feelings and now he has made Matt upset! If I were you, I'll keep a close watch over that little pup of yours! You don't know what Shawn will do!"

'_Great, just great! First Chris, then Raven, and now, we have to watch out for Hunter and Shawn as well! Damn it, why can't these people leave Jeff alone!'_ Mark fumed inwardly.

Scott shook his head despondently, "I don't know what we'll do if Shawn does something stupid. He may ruin my relationship with Matt and our friendship for each other! This is a goddamn mess!"

"I know Scotty. I don't want Hunter and Shawn's actions to jeopardize our relationship. Tell Kevin that we need to sit down and talk this over. I'll call him tomorrow. I don't want to leave Jeff now."

Scott hesitated before speaking his thoughts, "Maybe you could talk to Shawn? He may listen to you."

"I don't think it's a good idea. Hunter may misinterpret our relationship and right now, we don't need any more complications. I'll talk to Kevin and we will work something out."

He spotted the pizza man coming towards them. "Hey, our pizzas are here! You're welcomed to join us, there's plenty to go around." He eyed the four boxes of pizzas quizzically. Just how much could Glenn eat?

Scott accepted his invitation readily and added, "Matt can spend more time with Jeff. I just want to see him smile again" he said wistfully.

Mark chuckled and after giving the delivery boy a tip, took the boxes of pizzas and drinks from him before turning back to Scotty. "Matt is a sensible young man. He's mature beyond his age and he really likes you. I can tell you two are happy together."

Scott beamed with pride. "I know! He makes me feel good about myself and he's helping me cut back on the drinking. I've never felt better!" he informed Mark proudly.

"Glad to see you're in good hands. Now, let us go join the others and finish these pizzas before they turn cold."

As the evening progressed, Scott was glad to see the smile returning to Matt's face. He and Jeff were attached to the hips. They sat on the floor beside each other. Matt slung his arm protectively around Jeff and they chomped on the pizzas, talked earnestly with each other while catching the movie from time to time. Jeff seemed to be in high spirits in spite of his ordeal. He ate more than he should and ended up with a tummy ache. After finishing four slices of pizzas and almost three-quarters of a big bottle of Pepsi, he was bloated. He groaned uncomfortably and rubbed his tummy ruefully. Matt chided him for overeating and took over the rubbing of his upset tummy but everyone noticed he was happy fussing over his brother.

Before they knew it, two hours had passed. Scott nudged Matt who reluctantly got to his feet. He pulled Jeff up alongside him to give him a hug before kissing him on his cheek.

"Don't go anywhere without Mark or Glenn, okay?" and Jeff nodded obediently. He clasped his hands around Matt's waist and leaned his head on his shoulder, wishing his brother didn't have to leave.

Matt hugged him tightly before letting him go, "Night, Jeffro. I'll see you tomorrow." As Matt walked past Mark, he said under his breath, "Please take care of him." and Mark gave him an assuring smile and nodded.

After Matt and Scott left, Glenn whistled nonchalantly as he collected the empty boxes and bottles and trashed them. Jeff had gone to the bathroom to wash and change. Mark tidied the bed, brushing off the crumbs and fluffed up the pillows. He didn't want to sleep on a grainy bed. Both men looked up as the bathroom door opened and Jeff stepped out. He was wearing an oversized t-shirt and boxers. He padded to the bed and climbed into the middle, burying deep under the covers and let out a yawn. He rubbed his eyes and smiled at Mark and Glenn, waiting for them to join him in bed.

Immediately, Glenn said, "Don't go to sleep yet, I won't be long!"

He hurried into the bathroom and was out in five minutes. He had stripped down to his boxers. He smirked at Mark when he walked passed him to go to the bathroom. He couldn't wait to torture his brother and jumped into the bed, making it bounced and made Jeff giggle.

He cuddled Jeff to him and kissed him softly. "Tired?" he asked and Jeff shook his head, "Not really. A full stomach makes me drowsy."

"Hmm … I'm still hungry though" he informed Jeff in an insinuating tone but it was lost on Jeff.

Jeff looked at him in surprise and said, "Maybe you need to eat more cos' you're so big."

Glenn grinned and taking Jeff's small hand, he placed it on his hardening cock and said huskily, "Yes, you're right, I am big! Feel that?" Jeff flushed but he nodded, feeling the hardness twitched under his hand.

Glenn let out a low growl as Jeff tentatively stroked him. It was the first time Jeff initiated a move and he was wondering how adventurous Jeff could be. He found out soon enough. Jeff slipped his hand into his boxers and rubbed his fingers against the slit, making him moan with pleasure. A bright smile lit up Jeff's face. He continued his ministrations and leaned forward to take Glenn's nipple into his mouth, his tongue teased each into a hard nub before he kissed and nipped his chest, working slowly downwards until he reached the band of his boxers. Glenn pulled it off quickly and pulled Jeff's head down, "Suck me! I want to feel your mouth around me! …. Oh God …" he moaned when Jeff obliged.

The delicious hot heat sent his senses reeling and his heart pounding as Jeff hollowed his cheeks and sucked his cockhead with fervor. He lowered his mouth over the rod, trying to take it all in but he just couldn't. Glenn resisted thrusting. He knew he would choke Jeff if he did. Not only was he long but he was thick as well! The sight of Jeff's mouth stretched tight around his cock made the blood roar through his head. He let out a surprised grunt when Jeff scrapped his teeth along his length as he slid it out his mouth before nibbling the head with his teeth. Glenn jerked and hissed, his hands gripping Jeff's head tightly as he rolled his hips forward to thrust into Jeff's heavenly cavern. Jeff gagged when Glenn hit the back of his throat. Glenn was breathing hard by now but he forced himself to ease off. To his astonishment, Jeff held his hips and pulled him forward, deliberately gagging himself in the process. He choked and gasped but held Glenn tightly to him, refusing to let him back off. Glenn trembled with excitement. He had never seen this side of Jeff, what was happening to him?

At that moment, the bathroom door opened and Mark walked out. He stopped in midstride when he saw they were engaged. Jeff slid Glenn's cock out his mouth then and gasped for air. Glenn pulled him up and asked, in between pants, "Are you okay?" and Jeff nodded, taking in gulps of much needed air.

Mark was deciding whether he should return to the bathroom and stay there for a while when Glenn called him over. He wore an impish grin on his face. Once Mark sat down on his side of the bed, Glenn said, "Just go to sleep and ignore us, we'll try to keep it down."

Rolling his eyes, Mark slipped under the covers and turned on his side, face away from them. He felt the bed shift and there was silence for a while. Suddenly, Jeff squeaked before letting out a long drawn moan. Mark chanted to himself, _'You hear nothing! You hear nothing!'_ Soon, Jeff's moans turned into frenzied whimpers as he started to thrash his legs on the bed and he cried out, "Glen..nyyy……!"

Mark couldn't help himself and turned his head slightly. Glenn had slid down to Jeff's lower body and he was returning the favor that Jeff did for him a while ago. His head bobbed as he gave Jeff head and the boy was writhing deliriously under him. Mark swallowed hard and turned back, telling himself, _'You see nothing! You see nothing!'_

But Glenn had seen him checking them out and he grinned devilishly. He slid Jeff's shaft out of his mouth and Jeff whimpered at the loss. Glenn moved up the bed and reached out to the side drawer and pulled it open. He had bought a new toy the other day at the sex aid shop and didn't get a chance to try it out as yet. He pulled out a bag and took out a box. Opening it, he pulled out a long string of beads. Jeff was filled with curiosity as he eyed it. It looked like a necklace. Glenn reached into the drawer again and pulled out a tube of lube. He squeezed some onto his palm and rubbed it over the beads, lubricating them. He looked up into Jeff's eyes as he lowered his body and whispered huskily, "You will like this!"

Jeff felt his legs pushed apart again and he gasped when Glenn started to feed the cold beads into his love hole. Bead by bead he pushed them in until all were in, leaving only the loose string end dangling out of the little pucker. Jeff squirmed uncomfortably at the awkward feeling and he felt the beads moved within him. He bit down on his lip and whimpered when some hit his prostate. He panted softly as he moved gingerly but every movement caused the beads to move and they jabbed at his prostate. He whined and squeezed his eyes shut. He was slowly breaking into a sweat as he tried to stop his body from trembling. The shaking caused the beads to move and they were jarring his senses!

Glenn grinned with satisfaction at his new toy. But he had yet to put in the finishing touches. Gleefully, he grabbed the gadget inside the box and spoke softly to Jeff, "Tweets, you're in for a treat!" and he pressed a button on the gadget. The anal beads started to vibrate and roll in Jeff and he screamed with pleasure, arching his body upwards as they hit and vibrated against his prostate. Mark was startled and turned immediately to hold Jeff. His brother was grinning like the devil himself as he played with the buttons, alternating with slow pulses, pause and then quick pulses.

"Markkkk……" Jeff panted out his name as he clutched Mark tightly to him. He was panting like a racehorse and his body was trembling. Jeff screamed again as the beads rolled and vibrated furiously in him as Glenn hit the 'fast' button. Without a word, Mark captured his mouth with his, muffling his screams as Jeff twitched and jerked spasmodically. The pleasure sweeping through his body was indescribable and he needed so badly to get off!

Glenn allowed him a moment of lull and Jeff made use of it. He disengaged his mouth, panting as he spoke to Mark, "Please, I want you in my mouth and I want Glenn to take me! Please, hurry! I can't wait no more!" he begged and bit down hard on his lip, clutching tightly to Mark as Glenn started the beads rolling again. His skin broke and blood oozed out. He thrashed his head and legs around as he whimpered frantically, "Please….hurry!" and let out a cry of pleasure as he arched his body up.

Without hesitation, Mark drew off his boxers and straddled Jeff's face. Jeff moaned deliriously as Mark guided his cockhead into his mouth. He sucked greedily on it, nipping at the head and tonguing the slit furiously, drawing gasps of pleasure from Mark above him. Glenn snickered and decided to prolong the pleasure, jabbing the button to 'slow'. He knew that when Jeff came, it would be like the fourth of July! Jeff's spasms would choke his cock and he was looking forward to it with great anticipation! Jeff's mewls of pleasure and Mark's groans incited his senses. He couldn't wait much longer! He threw the gadget to one side and pulled the beads out by its end, but he didn't give Jeff any respite. He wrapped Jeff's legs immediately around him and plunged into him without hesitation, sliding his pulsating cock into him. Jeff screamed around Mark's cock and the vibrations caused the Deadman to grit his teeth. He was barely in control, almost on the verge of climax. He panted harshly, trying to restrain blowing his load. Jeff's mouth felt heavenly around him and he wanted to prolong the pleasure as long as he could.

Glenn grinned as he built momentum. He was relentless, driving into Jeff with hard and fast strokes, making sure to jab directly at his prostate. He lifted Jeff's legs onto his shoulders and drove in deeper, grinning with satisfaction when Jeff screamed and arched his body wantonly up against him. The vibrations from the scream did Mark in. With a roar of pleasure, he thrust forward and shot his load into Jeff's mouth, coming to his senses only when he heard Jeff choking. He withdrew his now flaccid cock and slumped on the bed, making sure not to crush Jeff. His cum dribbled out from the sides of Jeff's mouth. He couldn't swallow it all, there was just too much! Glenn continued to piston fiercely into Jeff, growls leaving his throat and with one final deep thrust, both men came. Jeff screamed at the top of his voice as Glenn shouted, "Oh God!" He shuddered as he was milked dry by Jeff's spasms. Jeff lay limp underneath him.

Someone knocked on the door, calling out anxiously and Mark let out a growl of displeasure. Damn nosey neighbors, he hated interruptions! He pulled on his boxers and made towards the door. Glenn had already pulled the covers over Jeff and himself. Pulling the door opened, he stared hard at the intruders before rasping out angrily, "Do you know what time it is?"

Standing before him were Chris, Adam and Jay. Adam and Jay took a step back warily. They knew it! They told Chris they shouldn't interrupt as the screams sounded like Jeff was getting off but would Chris listen? Hell, no! And now they were face-to-face with a pissed Undertaker!

Chris tried to look past Mark but he barred his way. "What do you want?" Mark asked as he glared at him.

"Huh… we heard screaming and it sounded like Jeff, so we thought we check it out." Chris smiled weakly at Mark.

"Well, if you must know, we were getting off and it was that damn good! Anything else you want to know?" Mark spoke with heavy sarcasm in his voice.

"Huh… no. Well, have a good night then" and with a grunt of acknowledgement, Mark closed the door.

Chris let out a heavy sigh and turned to Adam and Jay. "Well, I guess I was wrong. Jeff's safe with them."

He had explained to them why he needed to see Jeff. His instincts were seldom wrong but he was glad that he was proven wrong for once. He wanted Jeff safe. If only he could catch a glimpse of Jeff.

Adam nudged him, "Stop fretting. It's late and we better get some sleep. Why don't you sleep in our room tonight? We can watch over you seeing that you may still have a concussion."

Chris mulled over it before agreeing, "Okay, let me get my stuff first."

Jay was filled with happy thoughts as he and Adam followed Chris to his room. He would finally get the chance to share his bed with Chris! He shivered at that thought as they made their way. Who knows what might happen. He might just end up in Chris' arms tonight!

~*~

Kevin and Sean waited outside while Shawn went in alone to see Hunter. His head and hand were bandaged and he was awake.

"Hi" Hunter perked up when he saw Shawn. He watched as Shawn moved towards him and sat down on a chair beside the bed.

Shawn choked back a sob as he took Hunter's uninjured hand in his. He finally looked up and said, "I'm so sorry!" and burst into tears.

Hunter shifted and pulled him up onto the bed and Shawn buried his head in his chest, crying softly.

"Hush now, there's no need to cry. I'm still alive as you can see. You can't get rid of me so easily!" he quipped and Shawn couldn't help chuckling amidst his tears.

"Damn you Hunter! You scare the hell out of me and now, you're cracking me up!"

Hunter lifted his chin to look at him and smiled, "See? I'm fine. I wouldn't be making jokes if I'm not okay."

Shawn hugged him then and said in a broken voice, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hit you!"

"I'm sorry too, for getting pissed drunk! I would have dealt with Raven if I was sober. Did the police catch him?" Hunter decided to change the subject. He vaguely remembered his transgression with Jeff and he hoped Shawn wouldn't bring it up.

"No, he's still on the loose" Shawn informed him quietly.

He looked up at Hunter and asked, "Do you see me in him? Is that why you came on to him?"

Hunter realized that Shawn wasn't going to let it go.

"Shawn, I was drunk. It meant nothing! You're the only one I love!"

Shawn shook his head sadly, not sure if he believed Hunter. He wasn't sure about anything anymore!

Still holding onto Hunter's hand, he admitted to him, "It's partly my fault. None of this would have happened if I didn't hit you and drive you away! And then, you wouldn't have gotten drunk!" He pursed his lips before asking, "Are you still mad at me?"

Hunter smiled gently at him, "Not if you're still here after what happened. Do you forgive me?"

Shawn hesitated before nodding, "Yes, I forgive you but don't you dare entertain any thoughts about Jeff Hardy! I'll cut off your pecker if you so much as glance at him!"

Hunter immediately moved his hands to cover his groin protectively, "Don't hurt my little buddy, he's innocent! There, there now, you can stop shivering, you poor thing! Shawnie wouldn't hurt you, he loves you!" he said as he patted his groin reassuringly.

Shawn's mouth twitched with amusement and Hunter caught it. Pulling Shawn into his arms, he spoke in a serious tone, "I swear baby, I never meant to hurt you. You're all I want, all that I need! I'll never look at another man as long as I have you!"

Shawn allowed himself to lean against Hunter and he spoke against his chest, "Hunt, I love you! Don't ever hurt me that way again!"

"I swear it! I'll never hurt you again!" Hunter swore and Shawn wished he was confident enough to make the same promise to him.

~*~

Jeff was sound asleep, cocooned safely between the two men who watched over him like his guardian angels. They had been conversing softly while he slept. Mark told Glenn about Doctor Grain's advice to only engage with Jeff singularly so as not to hurt him, about Jeff's confusion towards his reaction to Raven and he finally revealed Shawn's threat towards Jeff. Glenn listened attentively. He readily accepted the doctor's advice and Jeff's reaction but he was bothered by Shawn's threat.

"What're we going to do about Hunter and Shawn? It's a little awkward when we're friends with Kevin," Glenn said.

"I asked Scotty to arrange for us to meet up with Kevin tomorrow. Hopefully, we can resolve the problem without resorting to violence. I hate to see our friendship break up because of this. Matt's caught in between but he made it clear where he stands. He told Scotty that regardless of Kliq relations, he would not hesitate to take Hunter and Shawn out if they harm Jeff. I'm very proud of that young man! Jeff has a devoted and loving brother."

"Just like mine!" Glenn blurted out before grinning sheepishly at Mark. It came out of his mouth before he realized it.

Mark's face softened considerably. He stayed silent for a while before saying gruffly, "We better get some sleep and have an early start tomorrow. It has been a long day."

He shifted to make himself comfortable and lay his arm protectively over Jeff, closing his eyes. Glenn turned on his side and laid his arm over Jeff, touching Mark's fingers lightly.

"Mark?" he called out in a mere whisper and his brother grunted in response.

"I'm glad to have you as my brother. Thank you for looking out for me!"

Mark's fingers found Glenn's and he gave them an affectionate squeeze. "Night Glenn" he said softly and Glenn smiled in the dark.

"Night Mark" he called out and leaning forward, he kissed Jeff on the temple and whispered, "Night Jeff, sleep well!"

~*~

Jay was in cloud nine! The man of his dreams was lying beside him! He sighed happily as he watched his heartthrob sleep. Maybe, Chris' accident was a blessing in disguise. He wished that they could talk Chris into permanently bunking with them but Chris cherished his privacy. He preferred to have a room to himself.

He heard Adam shift on the other bed and lifted his head to see him wide awake. He frowned. Why wasn't Adam asleep? Gently, he crept out of his bed so as not to wake Chris and padded towards Adam. Adam moved so that Jay could sit on the bed.

"What's wrong? Can't you sleep?" Jay asked him in a whisper.

How could he sleep? Jeff's screams kept ringing in his head every time he closed his eyes and Jay was lying with another man in the next bed! He wasn't sure why Jeff's screams were keeping him awake but he was directly responsible for the latter situation. He did invite Chris to sleep over. He had to, he argued with himself. The man had a concussion and had discharged himself without doctor's approval. He wasn't prepared to leave him alone if he wasn't well, not when Raven might still be lurking around. Yes, they found out what happened from Kevin and Sean when they bumped into them after leaving Mark's room. Chris told them that he suspected Raven was the one who pushed him down the escalator. Kevin invited them to join him for an early lunch the next day. They would need all the help they could to catch the birdman. It was already past midnight and he doubted they could make it for breakfast.

"I'm just thinking about what happened today. What about you? Why aren't you sleeping yet? Chris is just beside you, I thought you would be sound asleep by now, cuddled close to him."

"I'm too excited to go to sleep. He didn't object when I offered to share my bed with him. Do you think he'll get over Jeff? Mark and Glenn would never let him near Jeff!"

"Jay, Mark and Glenn would never let anyone near Jeff, period! After what Raven did today, they're never going to let Jeff out of their sight!"

'_I'll never get near him at all!'_ Adam thought grimly and stunned himself with that thought. '_Damn it, I must really be gay if I'm thinking that way!'_

"Adam?" Jay woke him up from his reverie, "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. Adam hadn't been himself lately.

"I'm fine. Just go to bed and get some shuteye. It's almost … two!" and groaned in despair as he glanced at the night clock. He was going to look hideous in the morning!

"You worry too much! Your worry lines are growing as we speak!" and Jay moved quickly out of the way, sniggering when Adam missed hitting him with the pillow.

"Shut up and go to bed with your lovey dovey! I'm going to sleep now!" Adam turned on his back and closed his eyes, determined to get at least eight hours of beauty sleep. He swore he would not get up until after ten, just in time to have lunch with Kevin.

Jay chuckled as he moved back to his own bed, slipping under the covers quietly. He shifted closer and sighed blissfully as he made body contact with Chris. His eyes closed and he finally drifted off to sleep, a contented smile on his face.

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………………………


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 20

Something woke him up. Eyes still closed, Mark shifted on the bed but he listened attentively. The noise had stopped. He thought he must be dreaming and slowly drifted off to sleep again. The noise came back. He forced one bleary eye open to check on its source and saw Jeff. He was sitting on the bed, busily sketching on his drawing pad. The noise he heard was the sound of his pencil scratching the surface of the paper.

Unaware that he had awakened Mark, Jeff's brows were furrowed in concentration as his hand moved quickly on the pad. His eyes occasionally flitted to Glenn who was snoring lightly beside him.

"Are you drawing Glenn?" Mark asked quietly and Jeff turned startled eyes towards him.

He smiled and nodded. "Did I wake you?" he asked in a raspy voice, the effects of last night's bout and Mark patted his knee reassuringly, "It's okay. It's time to get up anyway."

"No, it's not." Jeff looked apologetic and reaching over, he placed his pad on the side table before lying down to face Mark, "It's only seven, let us go back to sleep."

He snuggled against Mark who tucked a hand under his shoulder and pulled him to rest against him. He couldn't object to that. All of them could afford to sleep in longer. Within minutes, both men were fast asleep.

About two hours later, Glenn stirred. He let out a huge yawn and peered at Jeff and Mark. Jeff was cuddled in Mark's arms and they were soundly asleep. Glenn rolled himself quietly out of bed and saw the sketch pad on the side table. Curious, he opened it, hoping that Jeff wouldn't mind. There were pictures of random people, most of them he didn't know but he recognized several sketches of Matt. His eyes suddenly widened in pleasant surprise when he turned the page and saw a sketch of Mark. Jeff had done a marvelous job of capturing Mark in the picture. He had drawn his eyes twinkling and a quirk of the mouth showing him amused. Glenn chuckled as he studied the picture. If this ever got out in circulation, Mark's image as the badass Deadman would be forever ruined! He loved the drawing and was curious if Jeff had drawn him as well. He flipped the pages slowly and he saw sketches of Adam and Jay. He wasn't surprised. Those two went to training school with the Hardys. Turning to the next page, he grinned in satisfaction at the almost completed picture of himself. Jeff hadn't finished shading it. He had drawn him with his arms folded across his chest, wearing a wide grin on his face. Glenn had to admit that he actually looked very dashing in the picture!

Just then, Jeff mewled softly in his sleep and twitched his nose. His face was buried in Mark's chest and somehow, the chest hairs were tickling him, brushing against his nostrils lightly as he breathed in. Glenn chuckled softly and replaced the drawing pad on the table. He spotted the anal beads on the floor and picking them up, went to the bathroom to cleanse them thoroughly with soap and water. He placed them on the counter to dry before he took a quick shower. When he went back to the bedroom, Mark was already awake.

"I'll grab a quick shower and then we'll wake Jeff. Want to go to the gym before we meet Kevin and the others for lunch?" Mark asked.

Glenn nodded. "Good idea," he said, "we can help Jeff build up his strength and work on his mat skills."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As the brothers busied themselves, in another part of the hotel, Chris slowly awakened. It took him a while before he remembered that he was sleeping in Jay's bed. He turned his head to see Jay facing him. He was still asleep with a smile on his face. Chris smiled fondly at his friend and then remembered how he had treated Jay when he was only trying to be helpful. He chided himself for being so obnoxious. Sighing softly, he thought of how he was going to break it to him gently. It would never work out between them. Sure, he liked Jay but he felt no attraction towards him. It was really stupid to suggest that they went out on a date. He really didn't want to hurt Jay's feelings but it was better to be honest with him instead of delaying the outcome. It would be cruel to build up his hopes just to dash them away. Chris made up his mind to come clean with Jay but he wanted to talk to Adam first. Adam might be able to cushion the blow by being there for Jay when he finally told Jay.

He turned hopefully to see if Adam was awake but he was still asleep. Later, then, he decided. He sat up to stretch, working out the creaks in his neck and was glad that he didn't suffer any side effects from the bump on his head. He glanced at his watch, it was past nine. A quick shower and then he would wake the guys up to see if they wanted to join him in the gym before they meet Kevin for lunch.

An hour later, the three Canadians headed towards the gym. It had been a real chore getting Adam up. He stubbornly refused to get up until the clock on the nightstand read ten. He finally dragged himself through a quick shower before pulling on track pants and a t-shirt. As they pushed the gym door opened, they were surprised to see Mark, Glenn and Jeff already busy lifting weights.

"Hi guys!" Adam called out cheerfully, immediately perking up at the sight of Jeff who had his hair braided in two plaits. His track pants were slung low over his slim hips with the band of his boxers clearly showing and he had a short tee on, revealing his bare midriff as he lifted the weights. Adam almost drooled as he feasted his eyes on his body and Jeff's screams of pleasure reverberated in his head. He swallowed hard, hoping no one was paying him attention. Chris and Jay followed closely behind. Chris' eyes almost bugged out and he stared unashamedly at Jeff, drawing a frown from Jay.

Jeff turned to grin at them before putting down his weights. He hugged Adam fondly. Adam laughed uneasily as he returned the hug and released him reluctantly when he saw that Mark and Glenn were watching him closely. He gave them a feeble smile and they nodded their acknowledgment. Jeff turned next to hug Jay who couldn't help freezing slightly as he held Jeff lightly. Jeff was oblivious of the change in him and just gave him a knowing smile. Jay gave him a perplexed look.

"We heard what Raven did. Are you alright?" Adam diverted everyone's attention as he addressed Jeff. Chris inched closer to sneak a smile at Jeff who returned it spontaneously. But to his dismay, Glenn walked up and stood beside Jeff, putting his arm around him possessively. He stared at Chris with unblinking eyes.

"I'm fine" Jeff replied and then he saw the ugly bruise on Chris' forehead. "What happened to you?" he asked Chris in a concerned voice and stepped closer towards him to examine the bump. Glenn moved up along with him and his arm tightened around Jeff. Mark watched them impassively from the bench.

"Someone pushed me down the escalator yesterday at the mall and I had a rough tumble. I think it was Raven." Chris informed them and Jeff shrank against Glenn at the mention of his name.

"Don't be scared, he won't be able to hurt you anymore" Glenn reassured Jeff before turning to Chris and his friends, "If you see him around or have any clue as to where he's hiding, let us know! We have some unfinished business with him!"

"He almost broke Chris' neck yesterday, we want payback too!" Jay said, his eyes flashing with indignation.

"You have to wait in line then!" The six men turned their heads towards the voice and found Matt and Scott standing at the entrance.

"Matty!" Jeff cried out happily and with a few quick strides, reached his brother who squeezed him affectionately to him.

He released him and explained, "We called your room but you didn't answer so we took a wild guess and came here. Should have known that Mark and Glenn would start training you for the big league!" he teased and ruffled his hair playfully before passing a familiar looking bag to him.

Jeff gasped as he hugged it tightly towards him. It contained the earrings which Mark and Glenn bought for him. "I couldn't remember where I left them!"

"Sean asked me to pass them to you. You left them in his room yesterday."

Matt wanted to comment that they were expensive and he shouldn't have accepted them but the joyous look on Jeff's face stopped him. He relented and decided that if Mark and Glenn wanted to lavish his baby brother with gifts, who was he to complain!

"Want to train together?" Mark invited and the others nodded.

They helped each other out but Glenn watched Chris warily all the time. Adam was glad that the attention wasn't on him. He finally got a chance to get near Jeff. Glenn was helping Scott at the bench and Mark was teaching Matt some grappling moves. They were out of earshot.

"What was that look you gave Jay just now?" Adam asked curiously.

Jeff gave him a cheeky grin and grabbed his arm to pull him into a corner and whispered conspiratorially, "I know JJ likes Chris. Want to play matchmaker?"

Adam didn't know how Jeff knew but he didn't want to play Cupid, especially when he was conflicted with the whole situation. His face told the story.

Jeff gasped as realization hit him and he asked in a bewildered tone, "I didn't know you like men!"

Adam was startled. Was it obvious? How come he wasn't sure himself? He looked confused and Jeff patted his arm reassuringly, "Don't worry Addy. It must be a shock to find out that you like JJ. Have you told him yet?"

"I'm not sure if I like Jay that way, I'm still getting used to the idea of liking men" Adam confided in him. _'Not all men though, just you and maybe, Jay,' _he said tohimself.

"Besides, Jay is interested in Chris and not me!" He hesitated, wondering if he should tell Jeff that he thought he was hot!

"Does Chris like JJ back?" Jeff asked and Adam shook his head, "I don't really know but we know that Chrissy likes you a lot!" _'And so do I!'_ he almost added. _'Tell him! You may not get another chance!'_ his inner voice urged him.

Jeff blushed and shook his head, "I'm with Mark and Glenn. I don't want anybody else!" Adam's heart sunk, realizing that he had no chance with Jeff at all.

Mistaking the crestfallen look on Adam's face that he was upset about JJ and Chris, Jeff reached out to give him a comforting hug. Adam closed his eyes and held him close, relishing the feel of Jeff's slim body against his.

"Take your hands off him right now!" Mark said in a quiet and dangerous tone. He startled the two men who broke apart and Mark reached out for Jeff, drawing him into his protective arms.

"Mark, it's not what you think," Jeff started to explain but he shushed him up gently.

"It's okay. Can you leave us for a while? I want to talk to Adam alone," Mark asked and gently urged him to run along.

Jeff reluctantly walked away. Did he just get Adam into trouble? He turned his head to watch them. Adam was fidgeting and kept pushing his hair away from his face as he conversed in low tones with Mark. It was a nervous habit of his and Jeff felt bad for putting him in that position.

Matt joined him and asked quietly, "What was that about?" and he cocked his head in the direction of Mark and Adam.

"I think Mark misunderstood us. Please Matty, go and say something nice in defense of Addy! Mark will listen to you, he admires you a lot! Please?" and Jeff leaned forward to peck adoringly at Matt's cheeks.

Matt chuckled and pinched his cheeks, "Okay, I'll do what I can. You just sit here and don't move! I don't want you getting into any more trouble!"

Jeff nodded obediently and sat down on the bench. He watched Matt go over and as he spoke to Mark, he placed his arm around Adam's shoulder. Mark's stern countenance relaxed. After a while, Mark said something to which Adam nodded and Matt finally led him away.

Jeff quickly got up to go to Mark who took him aside, "Let us go outside, I need to talk to you."

Glenn moved to join them. "What's going on?" he asked and Mark said, "Shall we wrap it up and head back to our room? I don't want to talk here."

Glenn and Jeff were puzzled but followed Mark out after informing the others that they were done and were heading back. They gathered their things and left but met Kevin and Sean along the way. Mark told Glenn to go on first with Jeff. He wanted to talk to Kevin about Shawn and Hunter but not in Jeff's presence. As he left with Kevin and Sean, Glenn took Jeff with him and headed towards the elevator. As the lift door opened, the two men came face to face with Shawn.

Shawn threw Jeff a cold look and was about to side-step them when Jeff asked in a nervous tone, "Huh … hi Shawn! Is Hunter going to be alright?"

He was shocked when Shawn pushed hard at him and hissed, "It's none of your business and stay the hell away from Hunter, you man whore!"

"What did you call him?" Glenn asked in a menacing tone as he stepped forward, putting himself between Jeff and Shawn. Jeff just stood there speechless, a hurt look on his face.

Shawn gave a harsh laugh, "He's just a slut! Just look at him! Painting himself and wearing clothes to call attention to himself! He must really be good in bed to get you all to do all his biddings! Spreading his legs and entertaining you guys must be his specialty move! It's so pathetic to watch you guys tripping yourselves all over him! He gives good head, is that it? Or, maybe, it's because he's so willing to give and that's why Raven …"

Shawn didn't get to finish his tirade as he found himself thrust back into the lift and before he realized it, he was hanging in the air with Glenn's massive hand wrapped around his throat. He kicked and gasped, trying to get free but Glenn was furious at his vindictiveness and refused to put him down.

Holding Shawn high up against the wall, Glenn growled out between gritted teeth, "Listen, you conceited, cold-hearted bitch! I let it go when you turned your back on Mark but you've gone too far this time! Want to look for someone to blame for Hunter's indiscretion, try looking at yourself! Mark and I decided not to pursue the matter because Hunter was drunk but instead of being grateful, you stand here, full of yourself and throw your vile accusations against Jeff! I'm glad Mark no longer has anything to do with you! You're nothing but a selfish, jealous, insecure, heartless, self-righteous jerk who cares for no one but yourself! If you ever attack Jeff like that again, I'll personally rip out your tongue myself and make sure that you'll never speak again!" and with that, Glenn dropped Shawn, who crumpled on the floor gasping desperately for air.

Glenn turned to Jeff and was upset to see him in distress. He was crying silent tears and moved readily into Glenn's comforting arms, feeling sick to his stomach after hearing his idol's vile accusations. He was unable to stem his flow of tears.

Glenn spoke to him gently, "Don't cry Jeff. Don't let that idiot upset you! Come on, let us get out of here" and Glenn led him away.

They took the second lift and as soon as they reached their room, Jeff dashed into the bathroom and locked himself in before Glenn could stop him. Sobs were heard coming from within and Glenn rattled the door knob vigorously while calling out, "Please Jeff, open the door and let me in."

Inside the bathroom, Jeff sat on the floor and hugged his knees, rocking himself back and forth, just like Matty used to rock him in his arms whenever he was upset.

Jeff cried out between his sobs, "Please … just leave me alone for a while …" and he buried his face in his arms and let his emotions loose, his shoulders heaving as sobs wracked his body.

Glenn could break the door down easily but he understood that Jeff needed some quiet time to calm down and collect himself. He sighed before sliding to the floor to wait. Jeff would come out when he was ready and he would be there for him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the breakfast table downstairs, Kevin, Sean and Mark were discussing the dilemma facing them over cups of piping hot coffee. Kevin promised to talk to Shawn about his issues with Jeff. He gave Mark his assurance that neither Hunter nor Shawn posed a threat to Jeff but if they were to get out of hand, he gave his solemn promise that he would not interfere and leave it to them to mete out punishment. Just as they were concluding their discussion, Shawn burst into the room. He made a beeline for them once he spotted them.

"Tell your brother and boyfriend to stay the fuck away from me and Hunter!" his chest heaved as he screamed at Mark who stared at him unflinchingly.

Startled eyes turned to their table and Kevin spoke in a deadly quiet tone, "I would advise you to sit down and speak in a civil tone but if you can't, I want you to turn around and get the hell out of here before I lose my cool!"

Shawn took a step back in surprise. He thought Kevin would back him up.

"But Kevin, his brother …" Shawn started to protest when Kevin stood up abruptly.

He placed a hand on Mark's shoulder and apologized, "I'm sorry Mark but we have to continue our conversation some other time. Please excuse us."

Sean got up as Kevin turned his attention to Shawn, "I want to see you in my room, now!"

Shawn reluctantly followed but not before turning to look at Mark who gave him a sympathetic look. Shawn looked momentarily confused but he didn't have time to speculate. Kevin called to him to follow and he hastened his steps to keep up with them. Mark watched them go before getting up to his feet. He was anxious to get back to Jeff and Glenn and find out what happened between them and Shawn.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, want to come out with us tonight? We can hang out like old times!" Matt suggested to Adam and Jay just as they were getting ready to leave.

Adam grinned and nodded readily, "Yeah, it sounds like a great idea! Count me in!"

He turned to Jay who looked undecided. Jay looked over to Chris, wondering if they were going out on that date that night.

Chris knew what he was thinking and said quickly, "Why don't we all go? Huh … mind telling us where we're going first?"

Matt drew out a piece of paper from his back pocket and said excitedly as he passed it to him, "I got this from a boy who was distributing these flyers when we left the mall yesterday. There's a fair cum circus about five miles from here. Why don't we check it out? It's been a while since I've been to one! I know Jeff would love to go but he left before I can tell him. I'll call him and ask Mark and Glenn to come too. We're going to have a blast!"

Chris studied the flyer interestingly, "It says here that they have games, rides, animals, clowns, trapeze acts and contests," he looked up with a wide grin and said, "reminds me of my younger days. It's just too good to miss out, I'm going!" he announced enthusiastically and Jay couldn't help but agree that it would be fun.

Scott came up to them and peered at the flyer over Chris' shoulder. Matt had told him beforehand but he had yet to see the flyer.

He read the flyer and grinned, "It sounds like fun! Can we ask the others to come along as well?"

"The more the merrier!" Matt enthused.

It was decided that they would leave at half past five. Just as they were about to head out, Adam pulled Matt aside.

"Thanks for helping me out just now! I doubt I would still be standing here if you hadn't spoken up for me then!"

"No problem but Jeff was the one who asked me to intervene." Matt paused before asking carefully, "Want to tell me what's going on between you and Jeff?"

Adam thought carefully before speaking, "If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone else, even Scott?"

Matt nodded and Adam leaned closer so that no one else can hear him. "I think I'm falling for your brother!" he whispered.

"What!" Matt exclaimed with horror and three pairs of eyes turned towards them.

Adam grinned weakly at them before hissing under his breath at Matt, "Will you keep it down!"

Matt groaned in despair before pulling Adam out of the room and making sure they were out of earshot, demanded to know, "When did this happen?"

"I'm not really sure but I think it was when Jeff walked in with painted nails and make-up."

"I knew it! I told him not to call attention to himself but he just wouldn't listen!" Matt muttered to himself as he tried to come to grips with what he had just heard. He turned anxiously to Adam, "If Mark or Glenn finds out about this, you're a dead man!"

Adam let out a heavy sigh. "That's not my only problem. My life is pretty messed up right now" he told Matt.

"Just don't tell me you're pregnant!" Matt said in exasperation. He stopped to give Adam a wary look, "You're not pregnant, are you?" he asked cautiously.

"Damn it, Matt! This is not funny!" Adam said with a pout.

Matt's mouth slowly quirked into a smile, "Actually, it is! I never knew you are into men!"

"Neither did I, until Jeff changed my mind! What am I going to do?" he turned to Matt for an answer.

"Nothing. You do nothing simply because my brother is with Mark and Glenn. Go and fall in love with someone else, like Jay or Chris!" Matt's face suddenly lit up, "Hey, that's a great idea! You can take Chris' mind away from Jeff, then both of you can stay out of Mark and Glenn's way and live to a ripe old age!"

Adam huffed, "You overlook something. Jay's in love with Chris who's in love with Jeff and I'm in love with Jeff and probably with Jay too!"

"Huh?" Matt looked dumbfounded at that last revelation.

"You heard me! Oh, just forget it!" and he moved to go back to the gym but Matt pulled him back.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Matt asked in an exasperated tone. "I told Mark that you looked upon Jeff like a brother! I swear that if you do something stupid and he finds out the truth, you're going down with me!"

"Mark and Glenn won't hurt you. You're Jeff's brother! Jeff won't allow them to hurt you but I'm different," Adam said with a downcast look on his face.

Matt felt guilty for his thoughtless outburst. "Hey, don't worry. It's not as bad as it seems. Everything will work out, it always does!"

Adam gave him a wry smile, "I hope you're right!"

"Have you told Jay how you feel?"

Adam shook his head, "What for? I don't want him to feel bad about us. But I'm really worried about him. I don't think Chris is interested. We know how he feels about Jeff and he still hasn't given up hope yet."

"Shit! This is all fucked up!" Matt said in a worried tone.

"Tell me about it! I simply can't see any way out of this mess!" Adam said forlornly.

Matt hesitated before asking, "You want me to tell Jeff and Jay about how you feel?"

Adam looked at him in horror, "Matt, you promised not to tell!"

"But …" Matt started to say but Adam cut him off, "No buts! Promise me that you'll not tell a soul!" and reluctantly Matt agreed.

Sighing with relief, Adam said, "Let us just put this behind us for now and enjoy ourselves tonight! I'm really looking forward to going to the fair!"

Just then, Scott pushed the door and walked out. Chris and Jay followed behind.

"Angel, are you ready to leave yet?" Scott called out and Matt hurried towards him after telling Adam that they would meet them later for breakfast.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where's Jeff?" Mark asked, wondering why Glenn was sitting on the floor as he stepped into the room.

"In the bathroom, crying his heart out," Glenn informed him with a woebegone look as he got to his feet.

"What happened?" Mark asked as he tried the bathroom door and found it was locked.

"What did Shawn do?" he asked and Glenn raised his eyebrow and asked, "How did you know?"

"He came to find me and he was pissed."

Mark told him calmly before knocking on the door softly while calling out, "Jeff, please open the door. I need to talk to you."

Jeff heard Mark and raised his tear-stained face. He slowly got to his feet and Mark knocked again, "Please, Jeff, we're here for you, just open the door and let us in."

Jeff washed his face at the basin and after drying it, studied his reflection. He looked a mess, with puffy red eyes and disheveled hair. Shaking his head disconsolately, he moved and opened the door.

"Jeff" Mark gave a sigh of relief as he moved forward to envelop him in his arms. He released him and said, "Come, we need to talk" and guided him to sit on the bed.

Glenn sat on his other side and asked in a concerned voice, "Are you going to be alright?" and Jeff gave him a wan smile.

"Tell me what happened" Mark directed his question at Glenn who told him everything that spewed out of Shawn's mouth, leaving nothing out. Jeff remained quiet but he was far from calm. He kept his eyes down and clutched a pillow tightly to him, wishing the hurt would stop.

Mark bristled with anger at Shawn's action. How could he? He had let bygones be bygones even after what Hunter did to Jeff and now, Shawn was attacking their charge! It would not go unpunished, he vowed as he studied Jeff's strained look. The boy was robbed of his cheerful spirit, he looked completely listless. Mark decided to postpone the talk. Jeff was not in a receptive mood and what he had to say might aggravate the situation.

There was a knock on the door and Glenn got up to answer it.

"Hi Glenn, can we come in?" Matt asked and was ushered in. Scott followed him from behind. One look at Jeff was all it took before Matt was all over him.

"What's wrong, Jeffro?" Matt asked as he pulled his baby brother into his arms and rocked him gently. Jeff just lay limp without saying a word. He knew he would start crying if he tried to talk.

Glenn explained what happened and Jeff started to sniffle softly. Matt's expression became hard on hearing that Shawn was responsible for his brother's current disposition. He didn't say what was on his mind as he didn't want to upset Jeff further.

Forcing a cheerful look on his face, he told Jeff, "Don't let him put you down, he's just jealous! Anyway, I came here to tell you that we're all going to the fair tonight! Everyone's going! We're going to have fun! So, can I see a smile on your face?" and Jeff gave him a small smile.

Matt hugged him tight. Inwardly, he was fuming. He warned Shawn but he didn't listen. He would look for Shawn later and settle this once and for all!

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Reviews greatly appreciated …………………………………..


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

I was watching the "Greatest Stars of the 90's" wrestling DVD and that Kevin Nash is one hunk of a gorgeous man! Those long locks, that massive chest and those winsome looks! *ooh la la!* His entrance theme was a sultry harmonica number and it just screamed SEXY! Yeah, he's BIG SEXY alright! Just needed to share it with you! Now, on with the story!

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Chapter 21

"What do you think you're doing?" Kevin asked in a disquiet tone.

The three men were in Kevin's room. Kevin was up against the wall, arms crossed with a glare fixed on Shawn. Sean looked nervously from Shawn to Kevin. He didn't have to stay but he chose to. Now that Hunter was in the hospital, Shawn was alone and he just felt that he should stick around in case he was needed.

"Look, Kevin, I know you and Mark are tight but his brother attacked me! Why are you taking their side?" Shawn rasped out angrily, taking a few steps towards him, "Shouldn't you be on my side?"

"This has got nothing to do with Mark and I being friends! And don't you dare question my authority as to whose side I'm on!" Kevin said angrily, pointing his finger at Shawn. He let out an exasperated sigh, "You said Glenn attack you. What did you do?"

Shawn opened his mouth and then shut it. He looked away angrily.

"You provoked him, didn't you?" Kevin moved away from the wall and walked towards Shawn. Shawn bit down on his lip and looked down.

"Jeff was with Glenn when Mark left with us. Did you threaten the boy?"

"I'm just telling it the way it is!" Shawn burst out with an enraged look. "That little slut tried to seduce Hunter!"

"He did no such thing and you know it! Sean has testified to that! Hunter was the one who was way out of line but Mark assured me that he wouldn't hold it against him because he was drunk." Kevin closed in and asked, "Why are you doing this, Shawn? Do you know you're hurting a lot of people, including yourself? If you don't stop this nonsense, you're going to lose a lot more than you bargain for!"

Shawn let out a bitter laugh. "I should have known! You're besotted with that bitch, aren't you? I saw the way you look at him!"

He turned to Sean, "You too! I heard you propositioning him! I'm not surprised that you're taking his side on this too!"

He waited expectedly for Kevin to lash out at him but Sean got up quietly and approached him. "Don't say things that you'll regret, Shawn. Yes, I did proposition Jeff but he wasn't interested. And you want to know why?" He paused to make sure that he had Shawn's full attention before saying softly, "It's because he has found his place in Mark and Glenn's hearts."

Shawn's body trembled with anger, his features contorted with conflicting emotions.

"Matt was right." Sean moved to stand in front of him. "Before you cause irreparable damage, let me remind you that you were the one who walked out of Mark's life. He didn't try to come between you and Hunter even though he was dealt with an unfair hand. You want to know why? It's because he knows that you've found happiness with Hunter. But now that he has Jeff, you can't stand the thought of him with someone else. I'm going to lay it down in plain, simple words so that you can understand, since your huge ego is blinding your judgment! You have no claim, whatsoever, over Mark! You gave up that right the moment you went off with Hunter! Come to your senses before you destroy what you have with Hunter!"

Shawn stared mutely at his feet, stunned at Sean's words. They stabbed him deep to the core!

Kevin gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "It hurts to hear the truth but Sean is right. Mark came to me this morning and we had a long talk. There's no doubt that Jeff rules their hearts. You're hurting Jeff because you're jealous that he has taken over your place. I want you to know that what you're doing will not get Mark back because he doesn't love you, Shawn, he loves Jeff! But if you keep this up, you'll lose the man who truly loves you! Do you want to risk losing Hunter?"

Shawn didn't respond. Kevin sighed and released his shoulder. "Go back and think over what we said. We'll go with you to visit Hunter later. I've a lunch appointment but we'll come back to get you." As he was about to leave, he turned back to Shawn, "I think you need to apologize for your behavior to several people. I hope you'll do the right thing. We'll see you later" and then, they were gone.

Shawn stared at the closed door. He looked completely lost and he felt so alone. Slowly, he walked towards the bed and sat down. He let out a shuddering sigh. What must he do?

~*~*~*~

Matt stormed out of the lift with Scotty giving chase.

"Please, Angel, don't do this. He's one of us! I'll ask Kevin to talk to him!" Scott pleaded as he reached out and pulled Matt to a stop.

"Did you see what he did to my brother? He almost destroyed his spirit! I'm not going to sit back and let him take my brother slowly apart! Now, let me go!"

Matt struggled to free himself but Scott held on to him firmly and said, "It'll not solve anything! I give you my promise that I'll deal with him personally if he so much as slur your brother's name! Let me handle this, okay?"

And just at that moment, Shawn walked out of his room. Matt tore himself from Scott's grip and lunged forward. Shawn looked up just as Matt launched himself at him. He found himself on the floor with Matt astride him. Matt managed to sock one to Shawn before he was pulled off by Scotty.

"You come near my brother again and I'll beat the tar out of you!" Matt screamed as he was dragged away.

Shawn sat up and winced, rubbing his jaw gingerly. The lift doors opened and Kevin and Sean walked out. Taking in the scene, Kevin shook his head in despair. Matt was still fighting Scott, trying to get out of his grasp and it took everything to hold on to him.

In a few strides, Kevin reached them and called out authoritatively, "Cool it, Matt! Scotty, let him go!"

Sean went forward quickly to help Shawn to his feet. But as soon as Scott released Matt, he lunged forward again but Kevin anticipated his move. He reached out quickly and grabbed Matt by the back of his shirt.

Pulling him back easily, he ordered, "Stop it!" but Matt fought him. "I say, cut it out!" and Kevin pushed to hold him against the wall. He held him there until Matt calmed down somewhat to listen to reason. "You don't fight your own people, you hear me?" Kevin spoke with an assertive tone. "If you have issues with Shawn, you come to me! You do not take matters into your own hands! Now, will you behave if I let go?"

Matt reluctantly nodded. Kevin released his hold and Matt straightened his shirt and brushed his disheveled hair back with his hand. He glared at Shawn who was nursing his jaw.

"Okay, now that we have some order, shall we proceed to my room and sort this out?" Kevin said as he opened his door open and led the way in.

They all trooped in and took their places. Kevin sat on a chair and turned towards Matt. "I know you're angry, Matt but this is not the way to settle your differences. Now, tell me what happened."

Kevin knew about that morning's altercation but he hadn't heard what Shawn actually said to provoke Glenn to attack him. Matt told him word for word what Glenn told him and how he had just been to see Jeff who was completely devastated by Shawn's vile accusations. Everyone was stunned at Shawn's callous behavior. But to Shawn's credit, he actually looked shamefaced for once. He had done some soul searching during the past hour and realized that Mark never once tried to get back with him. Mark had cut himself loose the moment Shawn went with Hunter. It was his own ego that held the belief that he meant more to Mark. Everyone thought that Mark wasn't over Shawn when he didn't go with anyone. The fact of the matter was that he was alone because the right man hadn't come along, until Jeff.

Kevin remained silent after Matt finished. He gave Shawn a disappointed look before saying quietly, "I had no idea!" He was appalled at what he had just heard!

Kevin knew then that Mark would be paying him a visit soon. He remembered the promise he made him. He sighed heavily and decided that he should go and see Mark first and try to resolve the issue before the situation got out of control.

He turned to Sean, "Stay here with Shawn until I get back. We're going to see Mark and see if we can settle this amicably."

~*~*~*~

After their lunch with Kevin and Sean, Chris decided to head back to his room. He complained of a headache and quickly headed back to his room, leaving Jay and Adam to their own devices. Jay was disappointed at his departure and Adam tried to cheer him up. They were wondering where Matt and Scott had gone to. They didn't turn up for lunch and Adam thought they could be with Jeff. The two men decided to spend a lazy afternoon at the pool. They changed quickly and headed out to the pool.

It was a hot day and Adam took a leisure dip in the pool. As he got up, Jay was already settled on the deck chair, shades on and a book in his hand. Adam stretched out on the deck chair and put his shades on. He sighed blissfully as he closed his eyes, intending to catch up on lost sleep. As he dozed lightly, he couldn't help thinking over what Matt had said. If only it was that simple, to just switch off his emotions for someone he really likes and direct it to someone else. He opened his eyes to peer at Jay from behind his shades. What exactly was it he felt for Jay? Was it more than friendship? He still didn't know but he was positive about his feelings for Jeff. He wished he had known earlier. He had known both Hardys before Mark and Glenn came into the picture but he only found out his feelings for Jeff recently. He cursed at his misfortune. All that time when he could have been together with Jeff!

"Hey, mind putting the lotion on my back? I can't reach," Jay asked as he sat up and threw the bottle of lotion to Adam.

As Adam lavished the lotion on his back, he asked tentatively, "Jay, can I ask you something but I need an honest answer."

Jay turned curiously towards him, "What is it?"

Adam replaced the cap before posing the question, "Are you jealous of Jeff?"

"Of course not!" Jay replied quickly.

Adam shook his head sadly, "I said I want an honest answer and that wasn't it."

Jay looked glum and Adam decided to coax him to open up to him.

"Come on, Jay, we've known each other for a long time. Don't lie to me. I saw your reaction when Jeff hugged you. It's not his fault that Chris likes him. Don't treat him that way. He's our buddy and buddies don't need to hide things from each other."

Jay took off his shades to look at Adam. He looked sorry. "I know, I feel like a jerk about my behavior! I know it's not his fault but I can't help it!"

"It's never easy to hear and accept the truth but we're buddies and I don't want to lie to you. There are things I want to tell you but I'm not sure if you want to hear them."

Jay sighed before nodding, "I think I know where you're heading with this but tell me anyway. Just lend me your shoulder to cry on when you're through."

"Okay, but promise to hear me out to the end. I don't know if I can go through it if you cut me off half-way."

"I promise. Now, shoot!" Jay gave him his undivided attention.

Adam took in a deep breath and said, "I know you like Chris but I don't think he's interested. He has been evading you. We know he has his heart set on Jeff. As your friend, I think you should just ask him pointblank if he's interested and if he says no, then you should just let go and move on!"

He paused to study Jay's reaction and as expected, his friend looked sad. "Are you okay?" he asked and Jay nodded wordlessly. He gestured to Adam to continue.

"The other thing I want to tell you is … I've fallen for Jeff." Adam whispered the last part with a guilty look on his face.

Jay gasped in shock and Adam nodded sadly, "Yes, I know. Call me foolish or dumb but that's how I feel! And do you know what's the worst part? It sucks knowing that I don't stand a ghost of a chance to be with him!"

Jay looked at him sympathetically and Adam sighed before saying, "We may have to cry on each other's shoulders. But, I'm not done yet."

He hesitated momentarily and decided that he didn't want to hold anything back from Jay. If anything else, he wanted to be honest with his buddy.

"Jay, we've known each other for a long time and we've both found out recently that we're into guys. Well … what I'm trying to say is … I think I have feelings for you."

Jay stared at him in shock but Adam decided to continue before he lost his courage. "I know it must come as a shock but I'm not sure about my feelings for you, yet. I feel jealous when you're with Chris. I just don't know what to make of it. Hopefully, now that you know, maybe we can figure it out together?" But he was quick to add, "But, of course if you don't feel that way for me, it's fine with me! I just thought you should know. Well, I think that's about it!"

He breathed out a sigh of relief. He waited anxiously for Jay to respond but his friend just sat there with his mouth froze open in shock.

"Jay?" he snapped his fingers in front of him and Jay finally reacted. He blinked several times before finally closing his mouth. He stared at Adam and tried several times to speak but nothing came out from his mouth.

Adam gave him a nod of understanding and said with a wry smile, "It's okay. It'll take a while for the information to set in. Just lie down and take a nap. You don't have to say anything until you're ready."

Adam lay back on the deck chair and closed his eyes. He felt better already getting that load off his chest. Jay stared at him numbly before propping himself up against the chair. His thoughts were in a whirl. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on one thought at a time. Slowly, his mind processed the information it had just been fed. He breathed easier and surprisingly, he felt a lot calmer. Finally, everything clicked into place and he made up his mind. He sat up abruptly and turned to his long-time friend. "Adam?" he called out.

Adam roused himself and lifted his shades to look at him with half-lidded eyes, "Yeah?"

"Want to go out on a date with me tonight?"

~*~*~*~

Jeff opted to stay in, refusing to go out for lunch. He didn't want to chance meeting Shawn downstairs. Mark and Glenn didn't want to force him so they ordered room service. After making sure that Jeff ate something, both men settled down to read while Jeff sat back to finish the drawing on Glenn. He hummed softly under his breath as he worked and the brothers were glad to see that he had put the nasty incident behind him. Or, maybe it was because he was looking forward to going to the fair but whatever it was, he had cheered up. They were grateful to Matt for stepping in when he did and lifted his brother out of his gloom.

Satisfied with his drawing, he showed it to them and said, "I'm going to frame your pictures up when I get home and put it in my room. It will feel like you're at home with me."

Mark and Glenn looked startled. They never thought that they would be apart from Jeff at any given time. They spent a fair amount of time on the road but Jeff would want to go home to see his dad and friends on his off days. It wasn't anytime soon but it would come.

Glenn hugged him close and said, "Maybe when you go home, Mark and I can come with you? You can introduce us to your old man and friends."

Jeff beamed and clapped his hands excitedly, "Daddy will be thrilled to meet you two! He admires you! It'll be a treat for him to meet you personally! Shane and Shannon would go ape-shit when they hear you're coming to visit! In fact, everyone we know will want to meet you! I can't wait to see their faces when I introduce you to them!"

"Woah there, Jeff!" Mark laughed and ruffled his hair, "When are you and Matt going back any way?"

Jeff frowned before saying, "I don't know, Matty didn't say."

Mark's mouth quirked in amusement, "Didn't you ask him?"

Jeff shook his head, "Matty plans everything for us. He says to leave everything to him."

"Come here" Mark said as he opened his arms and Jeff shifted out of Glenn's arms to go to him. He settled himself comfortably against Mark who wrapped his arms around him and settled his chin on top his head.

Mark spoke softly, "Jeff, you must learn to do things on your own. I know Matt has been taking care of you since your mother passed on but you will stay on your own one day. What if Matt is not with you, how are you going to cope?"

Jeff turned his head to look up at him and told him shamefaced, "But I can't do anything right! I always messed up!"

Mark shook his head, "It doesn't matter if you mess up. You just try and get it right the next time. Don't say that you can't do anything right! You should have more faith in yourself as we have faith in you."

Jeff nodded bashfully at the compliment before saying, "I'll try."

Mark squeezed him affectionately before letting him go and said, "That's all we ask."

There was a knock on the door and Jeff jumped off the bed, calling out, "I'll get it!"

"No, Jeff!" both Mark and Glenn shouted in unison as they lunged forward to stop him.

Mark got to him first and pulled him back, saying, "Never open the door, leave that to Glenn and me, okay? We don't know who's at the door."

Jeff let out a shudder as he thought of Raven at the door.

"It's okay, we won't let anything happen to you," Mark comforted him as he felt him trembling against him.

Glenn checked through the peep-hole and announced, "It's only Kevin," and he unlocked the door and pulled it open.

Kevin, Scott and Matt greeted them and Jeff asked excitedly, "Are we going to the fair already?"

Everyone laughed and Matt told his brother, "Not yet Jeffro, it's too early. We came by because Kevin has something to discuss with Mark."

"Glenn, why don't you take Jeff with you? It's a nice day for a swim. I'll join you later at the pool." Something in Kevin's demeanor told him that Jeff shouldn't stay.

Kevin turned to Scott and Matt, "Why don't you go with Glenn and Jeff? I'll come get you before we visit Hunter at the hospital."

Both men hurried back to their room to change after arranging to meet at the pool.

"Come on, Jeff!" Glenn grabbed hold of Jeff's hand after they had changed into their swimming trunks and headed towards the door.

"Bye …" Jeff waved jauntily before Glenn closed the door.

Kevin grinned and turned back to Mark, "He's a real sweetie, ain't he?"

Mark's eyes twinkled with amusement as he asked, "Jeff or Glenn?" and both men laughed uproariously.

~*~*~*~

Glenn and Jeff stepped out into the pool area. Jeff's face broke into a wide grin and he called out as he ran forward, "Addy! JJ!"

Adam was lying on his stomach. He brought his head up fast, pulling up the shades when he heard Jeff calling them. Jay sat up and turned to watch Adam. He broke into a smile when he saw Adam grinning widely as he stood up to meet Jeff.

"Are you coming to the fair with us tonight?" Jeff asked excitedly. Glenn came up from behind and they exchanged greetings.

"Yes, we are and I can see you can't wait!" Adam said in a teasing tone.

"You bet! It has been ages since I've been to one! Aren't you excited at all?" Jeff asked, his eyes glowing with excitement.

Adam gave him an amused smile, "Of course, we are! You know, I'm pretty good at shooting down targets. I bet I can shoot down the most targets among you!"

Glenn smirked, "Is that a challenge?" and Adam looked at him confidently, "Care to take me on?"

"Hold it, guys!" Jay said as he stepped between them. "We admire your competitive spirit but why don't we make things a little bit more interesting?"

All eyes turned to him and Glenn asked curiously, "What do you have in mind?"

"Hmm, even if either of you beat the other, there's no reward. Lets have a prize. The best shooter among us gets a kiss!"

Glenn and Adam made a face. Adam said with a shudder, "I'm not going to kiss him if I lose!" pointing at Glenn with a grimace.

Glenn retorted, "I wouldn't want to kiss you even if I win! Yucks!" and made a disgusted face at that thought.

"For Christ's sake, guys, I'm talking about Jeff!" Jay clarified and looked to Jeff for approval.

Jeff was stunned speechless. Glenn pulled him possessively towards him, "No! No one else kisses our Jeff! He's off-limits!"

Adam just stared at Jay in disbelief. But Jay ignored him and played his ace card.

"Why, Glenn! I thought you're so sure you'll win! Well, I don't blame you for backing out because Adam is that damn good!" Jay taunted the big man.

Glenn snorted derisively. He pondered momentarily and then said, "Give us a minute," before pulling Jeff away.

As he conversed with Jeff in low tones, Adam hissed at Jay, "What the hell are you doing?"

Jay leaned towards him and whispered conspiratorially, "I'm giving you your chance with Jeff! If you want it, then you make sure you win! They're coming back!"

Glenn smirked and said, "We're going to accept your terms. The man who shoots down the most targets gets to kiss Jeff!"

Adam was surprised to his sudden change of heart. He looked at Jeff and asked, "Are you sure about this, Jeff?"

Jeff wanted to say he was against it but Glenn had assured him that between him and Mark, no one could best them in target shooting. He nodded in reply to Adam's query.

"That settles it!" Jay rubbed his hands together gleefully. He was glad to do something for Adam in return. They were going to give this dating thing a shot. Even if things didn't work out, he knew their friendship would hold strong. But there was an opportunity for Adam to get close to Jeff and he was going to do everything he could to help his buddy realized his dream, might it be only temporary!

Matt and Scott made their appearance and Jay thanked the Lord that Matt came after the deal was made. He knew that Matt would have caught on that something was going on. He wouldn't have agreed to let Glenn seal the deal, especially where his brother was concerned. He prayed that Glenn and Jeff won't say anything to Matt. Matt would tan his hide if he found out! He looked over to Adam. The rest was up to him now!

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Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………………….


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 22

Kevin decided to leave Scott and Matt behind. He told Mark about the skirmish between Matt and Shawn and explained that he wanted to minimize contact between them until things cooled down. He left for the hospital immediately and Mark had changed and went to the pool. He frowned on seeing Adam and Jay there.

Jeff spotted him and climbed out of the pool, padding quickly to his side. Mark bristled when he noticed Adam's eyes following Jeff. He would need to have that talk with Jeff soon and keep Glenn informed.

"What took you so long?" Jeff chirped happily as he slipped his cold, wet hand into Mark's warm one. He shivered slightly as a light breeze picked up.

Mark immediately wrapped his arm around him. He smiled gently down at him and said, "We have a lot to talk about. How's the water?"

Before Jeff could answer, Scott climbed out of the pool beside them and interrupted them, "Where's Kevin? We're supposed to go together and visit Hunter at the hospital."

Matt got up beside them and threw Mark a quizzical look. They knew that Kevin had gone to see Mark regarding Shawn. They were anxious to know the outcome. Mark told them that Kevin wanted them to stay behind. He didn't want to explain any further in front of Jeff. Glenn joined them and threw him a questioning look but Mark just gave him a discreet shake of the head. They would talk in private later.

He cocked his head towards Adam and Jay and asked quietly, "When did they get here?"

Matt fidgeted uneasily as Glenn informed Mark, "They were here when we came down. Is there a problem?" he asked with uncertainty in his voice. He was puzzled by Mark's behavior. He didn't seem too happy to see Adam and Jay.

Jeff looked at Mark dubiously and asked, "Is something wrong?" but Mark gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze and shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong, except that you're shivering!"

He then pushed him playfully into the water, drawing a shriek of surprise from Jeff before jumping in after him. The two engaged in a water fight and before long, everyone else was taking sides and a furious water fight ensued. Even Adam and Jay joined in. Shouts of laughter filled the air and anyone looking on would have recognized the easy camaraderie among friends.

~*~

Hunter was bored to tears. He insisted on being discharged and the doctor had no choice but to sign the discharge papers reluctantly. Kevin, together with Shawn and Sean, had picked him up about an hour ago. They were back at the hotel.

After settling down on the bed at the insistence of Shawn, Hunter asked, "Where's Scotty and Matt?"

Kevin told him briefly what happened that morning, about Shawn's verbal attack on Jeff which led to Glenn's retaliation and the subsequent attack against Shawn by Jeff's enraged older brother.

"I think it's best if Shawn and Matt stay away from each other for the time being," Kevin explained. He had sensed the underlying animosity Matt felt towards Shawn.

"This is all my fault! I shouldn't have drunk so much! I'm really sorry for getting everyone involved!" Hunter apologized as he leaned back wearily against the bed.

Shawn went to sit beside him and said quietly, "I'm sorry Hunt. I shouldn't have aggravated the situation. It's just that I was so mad at … at .."

"me?" Hunter asked. He searched Shawn's face but Shawn looked away from him to evade his knowing eyes. He couldn't deny it.

Hunter let out a sigh and said quietly, "You're still mad at me. I can understand how you feel but if you need to vent, take it out on me. Jeff has done nothing wrong to warrant that reception" _'Unless stealing Mark's heart counts!'_ he thought with a heavy heart.

Shawn bit down on his lip and remained silent. He thought it was best to keep his mouth shut. Hadn't he caused enough trouble for everyone?

Hunter frowned as he suddenly thought of the consequences of their recent actions. He looked up at Kevin anxiously, "What did Mark say to all these?"

Kevin told them that he had explained to Mark why Shawn acted the way he did and asked Mark to give Shawn a chance to redeem himself. He reiterated to Mark that he didn't even get to speak to Shawn before the confrontation took place and reminded him that if it hadn't been for Hunter and Shawn, Jeff would have landed in Raven's clutches long before they took him in under their wings. Mark finally relented but he warned that if his men ever attacked Jeff in any way, there would be no further talks, just dire consequences! Both men had shook hands to honor their pact.

"So, Mark won't retaliate?" Hunter asked, completely taken aback. He didn't expect Mark to let them off so easily.

"He and Glenn decided not to hold the drunken incident against you but just make sure that it doesn't happen again! As for Shawn, well … you know what not to do, right, Shawn?" Kevin stared at Shawn who nodded silently without looking up.

"Good!" Kevin said but added on a warning note, "Let me make myself clear now! If you mess up again, then, you're on your own! I gave Mark my promise that I'll not interfere!"

He checked his watch before getting up, "We're going to the fair with the others this evening around half past five. If you're up to it, you may want to join us. I don't think they will mind."

Hunter glanced over at Shawn before saying, "We'll let you know. Thanks for all your help, Kev!"

Kevin gave him a welcoming smile. "Rest up! We'll see you guys later." He turned to his mate, "Come on, Sean, let us grab something to eat and see what the others are up to."

Sean jumped off the table he was sitting on. He hesitated before saying, "I hope you can join us. It'll be a friendly gesture. I know Jeff won't hold it against you but Glenn would be difficult. But he won't do anything unless you provoke him. Well, see you guys later!" and he turned to join Kevin, closing the door behind them.

Shawn immediately went into Hunter's waiting arms. "I miss you baby!" Hunter said and both men started to exchange eager kisses.

In between urgent kisses, Shawn whispered back, "I miss you too!"

~*~

Jeff giggled as Glenn dumped him on the bed from over his shoulder, wet trunks and all. The guys had all gone back to their own rooms to wash and change. They had some time to rest up before the big night ahead of them. Glenn knew just what he wanted to do with that time. He started to pull off his trunks eagerly. Watching Jeff at the pool with wet trunks molded to his firm, delectable ass, and his sun-kissed skin shimmering with droplets of water, had done nothing but stoked his desire.

"Glenn, pack your bazooka back into your trunks!" Mark ordered with an amused grin on his face.

Glenn turned to him with a pout, "Why? We still have time!"

"I've something to talk to you and Jeff. Now, just pack it in and sit down," he said as he pulled up a chair and straddled it.

Glenn smirked. He tugged his trunks completely off and grinned wolfishly at Jeff, "Come and sit here on my lap, Jeffy" he said and reached out to pull Jeff towards him. Jeff docilely allowed himself to be pulled onto Glenn's lap.

"Glenn …" Mark's voice held a warning note when Glenn started to grind himself upwards against Jeff, making him squirm and gasp.

Glenn let out a sigh, "Okay, okay, I'll behave."

He leaned back on the bed and pulled Jeff to lean against him. "Okay, big brother, what's going on?" he asked as he gave Mark his full attention.

"I want to talk about Adam. Jeff?" he addressed their pup and Jeff's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, Mark?"

"Matt told me that Adam is like a brother to you. Is that true?"

Jeff nodded his head, "Yes, he and JJ look out for me like Matty does. Is something wrong?"

"I don't think Adam looks upon you like a brother at all. The way he eyes you and the way he held you just now at the gym … he's interested in you and I'm not talking as a friend," Mark informed him in a serious tone.

Jeff shook his head, "I don't think so … he told me that he likes JJ but JJ likes Chris and he was upset. That was why I hugged him, to comfort him."

He looked apologetically at Mark, "I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression. I'm sorry, Mark."

"It's not your fault. You didn't know that Adam likes you that way. I don't think Matt knows either. I don't trust people easily but Matt trusts him. Should I trust him, Jeff?" Jeff hesitated, a dubious look on his face. He wasn't sure anymore.

"Fuck! I think I've been had!" Glenn exclaimed as he thought of the bet he had made with Adam and Jay.

"What?" Mark asked and quickly, Glenn told him.

"You what?" Mark gave Glenn an outrageous look of disbelief. "How could you allow Jeff to be the prize, Glenn?" he asked with exasperation in his voice.

"I thought it was just a game among friends and I didn't know their real intentions! But, they'll not win because we can beat them!" he said with firm conviction.

"Glenn, there's a possibility that they might win! Have you thought of that?" Mark asked as he got up to pace. They had to figure a way out. He didn't like the thought of anyone else having their way with their pup. Just how good a shot was Adam? He couldn't deny that he and Glenn were good shots but was Adam better than them? He realized that they would just have to find out the hard way. They would just have to try to win and he told his brother so.

"But, if we lose, I'm going to kick your ass, Glenn!" Mark said in a exasperated tone.

Jeff climbed out of Glenn's lap to hug him and said, "I can always tell them that I've changed my mind."

Mark shook his head, "We honor our word. Don't fret little one, we'll think of a way to win. If anyone is going to claim that kiss from you, it'll be Glenn or me!"

He squeezed Jeff affectionately and then patted him on his butt to urge him along. "Now, go get clean up. We know how long it takes you to get ready. I want you out of the bathroom in half an hour. Glenn and I need to shower too."

Jeff happily skipped off to do his bidding and as the bathroom door closed, Mark briefed Glenn on the agreement he had made with Kevin.

"I know Shawn can be very difficult but try not to get into a fight with him. If he antagonizes Jeff again, let me handle it." He paused to think before finally deciding. "I'll visit Hunter tomorrow to see how he is and set things straight with him. I think I need to put his mind at ease that I'm not after Shawn."

Glenn grinned and said, "I know you're over him but those two need to hear it from you! Once Hunter knows that you're no longer a threat and Shawn realizes that you don't feel that way for him, they will leave Jeff alone. I really don't want this to affect our relationship with Kevin."

Mark nodded his agreement, "I don't want to jeopardize our friendship with him either. I'll talk to Hunter and Shawn tomorrow and settle this once and for all. Then, we can focus on our real problem. Raven's still on the loose. We have to be careful, the fairgrounds is an easy enough place to hide out. Keep your eyes open and stay close to Jeff all the time! Raven's a tricky bird!" The brothers made careful plans for that night. They were going to enjoy themselves but they would stay watchful as well.

Two hours later, they met the others in the lobby. Mark and Glenn escorted a very excited Jeff between them. He was dressed casually in a short-sleeved white tee with canary baggy pants which rode low over his hips. He wore a yellow hair band over his blonde/blue hair and he had put on the sapphire earrings that Glenn gave him. High platform black boots completed his look. He blushed at the admiring glances and appreciating whistles he drew from the others.

Chris and Adam stared hungrily at him and Jay had to nudge them both to snap out of it. Adam sent him an apologetic look but Jay just rolled his eyes in amusement. Their date was on that night but their goal was to have fun. They would try and win the game so that Adam can get to kiss Jeff. He laughed inwardly at the irony of the situation but he was kind of looking forward to it. It had been a while since he had allowed himself to relax and just go with the flow. He promised himself to have a good time that night and to hell with everything else!

He glanced briefly at Chris and realized that he was not looking too comfortable. He felt sorry for him. Chris must be thinking of how to break it gently to him that they wouldn't work out. He thought of telling him that it didn't matter anymore but then … why should he make it easy for him? His eyes twinkled mischievously. Yes, he would punish Chris for not being honest with him for just a little bit longer. The talk he had with Adam had set him straight. Chris wasn't interested in him but he would force him to admit it to him. He wasn't going to let him get away with it so easily! Adam was right. Friends shouldn't need to lie to each other! Jay had finally come to terms that what he felt for Chris was naught if it wasn't requited. But they would remain friends.

Kevin informed the group that Hunter had been discharged. Hunter and Shawn would join them later at the fair. Jeff looked antsy and Matt looked grim but Mark and Glenn appeared complacent at the announcement. Sean went up and whispered something to Jeff and his countenance relaxed slightly. Jeff looked up at Mark and Glenn anxiously. They gave him reassuring smiles and Mark told him to relax and just have fun.

Half an hour later, everyone was at the fairgrounds. There were two queues snaking up to the ticketing booths. Jeff bounced excitedly on his feet, absorbing everything around him. The people, the squeals of excitement, the smell of sweet popcorn and then … he looked up and gasped in awe as he caught sight of the giant roller coaster. He saw the carriages climbing slowly up the tracks and he waited with abated breath for them to reach the top and finally, whoosh! the carriages plummeted and he just about screamed along with excitement with the people on the carriages.

"Can we please ride the roller coaster first?" he turned pleading eyes towards Mark and Glenn. They had told him to stay close at all times and never to wander off by himself.

The brothers chuckled and Mark said, "Anything you want, bits!" and Jeff beamed. Finally, they were in and everyone headed towards the roller coaster. Their turns came and they clamored onboard. Chris sat with Mark directly behind Jeff and Glenn with the others pairing off with their usual companions. He watched longingly as Glenn wrapped his arm around Jeff. He wished it was him that Jeff was cuddling close to. He couldn't help but let out a sigh and Mark turned to look at him.

"What's the matter, not enjoying yourself?" he asked and Chris shook his head despondently. Mark studied him thoughtfully and said, "You still haven't given up yet. Why don't you go with Jay, he likes you a lot."

Chris turned startled eyes towards him. He hesitated before admitting, "I don't like him that way."

"Jeff is with us. You should look elsewhere," Mark told him softly and he actually felt sorry for him when he saw his deflated look.

The station master signaled that the ride was about to begin. The bar on their laps locked in and then, the carriages started to move. The ride was hellish! The tough men found themselves screaming with tears leaking from their eyes. When the ride finally came to a stop, they got off with windblown, disheveled hair. Jeff realized with dismay that his hair band was blown off. But nonetheless, he went eagerly from station to station, tugging on Mark and Glenn's hands to follow. The others followed behind. After going on several stomach churning rides, Kevin and Scott pleaded for a break. The group was checking out the booths when Kevin suddenly pulled to a stop. He sniffed the air appreciatively and reported with glee, "Smell that guys? Pies! Come on, l want to get some!"

Following their noses, the group found the stand and to Kevin's delight, they didn't have to pay for the pies. Competitors were lined up for the pie-eating contest. The winner would take home a basket of assorted homemade jams, cookies and tarts. There were still vacant spots left and Kevin pulled a surprised Glenn towards the table filled with all types of pies. Jay and Matt urged Adam and Scott to participate and both men stepped up to join Kevin and Glenn. The four men stood side by side along the long table with four other men. Glasses of water were placed beside each man for those who needed to wash down their pies before continuing.

The crowd closed in and Mark pulled Jeff in front of him, locking his waist with his arms. He glanced around and feeling sure that Raven wasn't anywhere near them, brought his attention back to the contest which was about to begin. A whistle sounded and the men started to shovel the pies into their mouths, chewing hastily before swallowing. The man who ate the most pieces of pies within a two-minute time frame would be declared the winner. The crowd cheered on for their favorites. The time was almost up and the cheers increased with vigor. Finally, the whistle blew and the contestants stopped eating. Everyone cheered and applauded as the judges went to the table to confer. Neither of their friends won but they came away with full stomachs. The guys decided to stay away from any turbulent rides for the moment and headed to the booths. Everyone took part in the games; knocking down cans with balls, bouncing ping pong balls into glasses, fishing with a line, tossing pennies into bottles … the games brought back the child in them and they enjoyed themselves tremendously. Chris won a fluffy toy dog with floppy ears in the 'toss a penny' and he presented it to Jeff who squealed with delight. He hugged it tightly to him and thanked Chris shyly. Chris shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned sheepishly at him. His fingers made contact with the hair band that he had kept when it hit his face during the roller coaster ride. He didn't want to give it back to Jeff, intending to keep it for himself.

Finally, they came to the target shooting booth. Adam and Jay grinned and Glenn smirked at them. Jeff looked nervously at them while Mark studied the targets. Some were moving targets, like the rows of ducks that filtered from right to left and the cutout targets that flipped up occasionally at various places in the shooting range. Adam and Jay conversed in hushed tones, arousing Matt and Chris' curiosity.

Glenn came towards Mark and Jeff and asked his brother, "What's our strategy?"

While Mark was contemplating, they heard Matt raising his voice. They turned to see Matt reprimanding Adam and Jay who looked chastened and the next thing they knew, Matt was striding purposefully towards them.

His eyes flashed as he spluttered angrily, "What are you thinking! I know Adam and Jay are crazy and foolish but I expect you to know better! How could you put my brother up like ... like …"

Glenn put up a hand to placate him, "Calm down, Matt. It's only a game."

Matt looked indignantly at him, "Game? You're putting my brother up as a trophy in your stupid game!"

He turned to Jeff, "Baby brother, I can't believe you are going along with this! I'm not allowing others to take advantage of you! Come with me!" He pulled on Jeff's arm to follow but he pulled back.

Sending Matt an apologetic look, he said, "I can't, Matty! I agreed to it, I have to keep my word. Please understand."

Peals of laughter coming from Kevin and Sean only aggravated Matt. They just found out from Adam and Jay about the bet. Scotty was trying hard not to laugh but failed miserably and Chris, well, he looked very interested.

Matt turned to Mark desperately, "Come on, Mark, you can't allow this to happen!"

"Much as I agree with you, I can't withdraw because Glenn made the bet with Adam. I'm sorry." Mark told him.

Kevin and Sean moved to join them. Sean said, "Come on Matt, just go along with it. It'll be fun!" He added cheekily, "In the spirit of competition, I say anyone else who's interested, be allowed to take part."

"I'm in!" Chris shouted, drawing glares and shouts of protests. As the bickering continued, Kevin shouted above the din, "Quiet!" The arguments immediately stopped.

"Okay. From what I've learnt, no one says that the others can't take part. I agree with Sean that this game is open to the rest of us!" Kevin declared, drawing groans from the two legitimate groups.

Chris grinned happily and looked over to Jeff. He was hugging tightly onto the fluffy toy, trying to reassure himself that things would work out.

"Besides Chris, who else is taking part?" Kevin asked. He really wanted to take part but considering that Mark had been more than gracious towards him in the recent troubles Shawn and Hunter had given him, he decided he should extend the same courtesy. He knew Scott wouldn't take part because Jeff was Matt's little brother but Sean?

His mate was wearing a mischievous look but to his surprise, Sean said, "I want to but I can't. Not now, maybe next time?"

Matt growled before saying, "There's no next time!" and surprised everyone by adding, "Count me in too!" He was upset, the situation was worse than it originally was but if he could win the game, then no one would get to kiss his baby brother!

"So, we have Adam, Jay, Chris, Matt, Glenn and Mark. Which two would start first?" They decided among themselves, Jay and Matt would go first, followed by Adam and Glenn and Chris and Mark. Kevin decided that in all fairness, each man would shoot three rounds, which meant a total of 18 shots each. The guy with the most number of hits would win.

The men paid and loaded their shooters. Jay and Matt stepped up and the game commenced. After each round, they stepped back and let the second group go. By the end of the first round, the results were : Jay (3), Matt (3), Adam (4), Glenn (4), Chris (4), Mark (4). The second round yielded better results; Jay (4), Matt (4), Adam (4), Glenn (4), Chris (4), Mark (5) and the final round was a tense round. The results yielded were; Jay (4), Matt (5), Adam (5), Glenn (4), Chris (4), Mark (4).

The final results showed that Adam and Mark had a draw of 13 hits each. It was decided that they competed against each other to break the tie. Each man would shoot two rounds of 12 shots each. In the first round, Adam and Mark had 5 hits each. In the final round, Adam and Mark still scored 5 hits each. They still tied. To break the tie, it was decided that each man would only get one shot and he had to hit a moving target. The chosen target was the flip target which flipped up and in a few seconds flipped back down again. The two men loaded their shooters and got ready.

Everyone looked tense, especially Jeff. He was squeezing the toy with one arm and biting the knuckles of his other hand. The flip target flipped up and the others tensed but neither Mark nor Adam took a shot. It flipped back down and the onlookers released their breaths. The two men stayed unmoving, their gazes locked at a fixed point, shooters cocked, ready to fire. Everyone held their breaths in as they waited for the target to flip up. It did and pfft! it got hit! But who hit it? Everybody started to talk excitedly at the same time, and the man manning the booth looked at the sensor panel. He looked up at Mark and said, "Congratulations sir, you've won!"

The guys whooped with joy, except for Adam and Chris. Jay shook his head but he couldn't help smiling. He was sad for Adam but Mark won without dispute. Jeff handed his toy to Matt and jumped into Mark's arms. Without hesitation, he kissed Mark on the mouth. The guys whistled and cheered as the kiss prolonged. Finally both men disengaged and Mark put Jeff back on his feet, laughing down at him. Glenn and the guys came up to congratulate him. The man handed Mark a giant toy panda bear and he gave it to Jeff who clutched it tightly to him, completely ecstatic!

As soon as the excitement died down, the group decided to head to a hotdog stand. They ate as they strolled in the fairgrounds and finally came to the big tent where the trapeze and animal performances were held. They found places and sat down. The trapeze artists were dazzling in their death defying performances and won the spectators' hearty applause. Animals like the dogs and horses amused the audience with their tricks but the tigers and lions brought gasps of awe from the audience. It was courageous of the trainer to stay in the cage together with four big cats, armed only with a whip and chair.

After an hour in the tent, the guys got up to leave. As they were trooping out, the clowns appeared to entertain the kids. They ran along, tripping over their big feet and clowned around. They handed out balloons and Sean got one. Jeff held onto his toys and followed, Mark was on his right, his hand clasped around Jeff's waist. Glenn was ahead of them. Jeff turned to the clown on his left who handed him a bunch of flowers. He accepted them with a happy grin on his face and was about to thank him when the clown leaned closer to him and whispered, "For you, my wildflower."

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

It has been quite a week! I was so excited when I saw that Jen1978 has finally put up a sequel to **'Revelations 68'**. If you haven't read it yet, you don't know what you've been missing! I promise you that you'll be enthralled by it. Read it first before you read the sequel, '**Torture Garden'.** You're going to love it!

FortheLoveofWrestling has finally updated **'Catching the Whisper in the Wind'**. Please check it out!

Finally, I want to thank everyone for sending in their reviews! I really appreciate it!

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Chapter 23

They heard pops and sizzles and then, fireworks suddenly lit up the sky with a burst. The crowd screamed in excitement and rushed forward, trying to get out of the tent to catch the dazzling display lighting up the night sky. Jeff turned his head frantically, trying to see where the clown had ran off to but he had disappeared among the masses. Mark clutched tightly onto him, pushing him forward. He was focused on trying to get them out and didn't hear Jeff who was trying to tell him above the din that Raven was there.

They finally made it out but the excited chattering of the crowd and the bursting of fireworks made it impossible for Jeff to make himself heard. He finally gave up and just stood there stunned, still clutching the flowers in his hand. Mark realized something was amiss when he saw the shocked look on Jeff's face.

He leaned down to ask, "What's wrong?" and Jeff looked up at him with a confused look. He opened his mouth to say speak but, without warning, his eyes suddenly filled with tears and his breaths came out in shuddering gasps. Alarmed, Mark pulled him close and guided him out to a less crowded area. Apparently, Glenn was searching for them and it helped that Mark stood out above the others. He made it to their side and managed to catch on that something was wrong from Jeff's demeanor.

"What happened?" Glenn asked anxiously, noting that Jeff was shaking.

"I don't know" Mark said as he rubbed Jeff's back gently, whispering soothing words to calm him down.

They waited for Jeff to compose himself and he finally raised his head to speak in a quavering voice, "He… he was here."

Mark asked gently, "Who was here, Jeff?"

Jeff took in a deep breath and said, "Ra..Raven!" He clutched his toys tightly to him.

Mark and Glenn looked at each other in alarm and Glenn said, "I didn't see anyone resembling him. Where did you see him, Jeff?"

"As… as we were leaving. He was dressed as a clown and he gave me these." He stared at the flowers, realizing for the first time that they were really pretty. They smell nice too.

"Are you sure it was him, Jeff?" Mark asked and Jeff looked up, startled. He hesitated before nodding, "He called me wildflower when he gave the flowers to me. It was what he called me the last time he took me away."

Burying his face against Mark's chest, Jeff spoke in a small voice, "Please, can we leave? I don't wanna stay here no more."

"We will go now," Mark assured him, holding him protectively against him. He turned to Glenn, "Find Kevin and let him know we're leaving. We'll wait for you at the entrance."

Glenn immediately took off and Mark guided Jeff towards the entrance. Coincidentally, they met Hunter and Shawn who had just arrived. Mark nodded his acknowledgement and was about to move passed them when Hunter put out a hand out to stop them.

"What's wrong with Jeff?" he asked in a worried tone, taking in Jeff's wan look.

"Raven was here," Mark informed them quietly.

Hunter and Shawn looked alarmed. "Do you need a lift to the hotel? We can take you back," Hunter offered.

Mark shook his head, "Thanks, but we can get back ourselves. We're just waiting for Glenn. Here he comes."

He spotted Glenn hurrying towards them. Glenn glared at Hunter and Shawn before muttering, "Come on, lets go."

With Jeff between them, Mark and Glenn guided him out of the fairgrounds. As the car left the vicinity, Jeff turned around in his seat to stare at the retreating lights. What would be the repercussions?

~*~

Raven chuckled to himself. He knew it was foolhardy to go up to Jeff and speak to him when Mark was just beside him, but he just couldn't resist! His friends thought he was already in Detroit but he had changed his mind at the very last minute. Everyone assumed he would lie low, they didn't expect him to stick around, but why shouldn't he? He had lost his job and he couldn't go back home. A warrant had been issued for his arrest, so, he had decided to stay. He had been watching and following Jeff from a distance, in disguise, and had not been spotted yet.

Rhyno had been keeping him informed. It was by coincidence that his friend overheard some of them talking about going to the fair and had informed him. Raven was thrilled. There would be a lot of people at the fair and he could easily lose himself among them. He had gone in disguise and followed them around and no one had recognized him! The best part was when he found that clowns were part of the scenery at the fair. He had stolen a costume, dressed and painted himself to look like one. He was tempted to go near Jeff and tease but there were just too many people around Jeff to approach him without remaining inconspicuous. His chance came as the crowd was leaving and the fireworks were an added bonus. It distracted everyone, allowing him to make an easy getaway after he had made himself known to Jeff. The look on Jeff's face, when he realized who he was, was simply precious!

He closed his eyes, luxuriating in the afterglow of a job well done. Inhaling deeply, he recalled Jeff's sweet fragrance when he leaned close to him. He hadn't forgotten how good it felt to be joined to Jeff, to have his tight heat enveloping him. He let out a shuddering sigh at the memory. If only they weren't interrupted. It irked him that he was daunted each and every time, first by Chris and then by Mark. Jeff was now practically unreachable, closely guarded by Mark and Glenn. They never left his side. It was going to be difficult to get near Jeff again but it was not impossible. He smirked to himself. His plan was already set in motion. If things went according to plan, by tomorrow night, Jeff would be in his arms again!

The phone rang and he picked it up. His face brightened at the news and he said, "I'll be right there!"

~*~

After Mark, Glenn and Jeff left, the guys decided to do some scouting around. Glenn had told Kevin the reason why they were leaving, informing him that Raven had approached Jeff, dressed as a clown. His appearance had shaken Jeff up and they decided to leave the grounds. Matt suggested looking for Raven and the Kliq readily agreed. As they walked the grounds, they met Hunter and Shawn. After some discussion, the Kliq decided to split up to cover more grounds. They arranged to meet at the entrance in an hour's time.

After a fruitless search, Adam, Jay and Chris went to the entrance to wait for the Kliq. Jay casually mentioned their so-called date.

"Hey Chris, about that date, is it still on?"

He and Adam kept a straight face and looked at Chris. Chris mumbled some incoherent words and tried to avoid the subject.

Tickled by his discomfort, Jay walked nearer to him and said, "How about the two of us leave this place and find somewhere quiet and we could, you know …" he ran a finger suggestively down Chris' chest and then traced a circle around his nipple through his shirt.

Chris jumped in surprise and backed away slowly, stammering nervously, "Huh… I … huh … can we … huh … talk about this another time?"

"You've been avoiding me, Chrissy!" Jay said in an accusing tone and advanced towards him slowly. "I don't know what game you're playing but I'm not taking no for an answer!" He finally got near enough to latch his hands around Chris' neck.

Chris gulped audibly and tried to remove Jay's arms from around him. He fumbled for words, "Jay, please! I … I …" and Jay pressed him, "What Chris?"

Chris tried to tell him but it was hopeless, he just couldn't tell him in his face and not when Adam was watching them with great interest.

Jay felt like smacking him in the head but he released him and said quietly, "When are you going to tell me the truth?"

Chris looked startled and stared at him wordlessly.

Jay let out a deep sigh before raising his head to look at him in the eye, "Why don't you just tell me you're not interested and then we can both move on? It would be easier for me to accept the truth than letting me cling to the hope that you might change your mind."

"I'm sorry, Jay, I don't want to hurt you." Chris finally said in an apologetic tone. He hung his head down in embarrassment.

"I appreciate it but it's unavoidable. But, at least, I would have known where I stood and come to terms with it sooner than later."

"How did you know?" Chris asked, raising his eyes to study Jay's face. There was a look of resignation on his face but there was something else. He couldn't place a finger on it.

"Adam brought me to my senses by telling me exactly what he thought of the whole situation. He also told me that he might have feelings for me. In fact, we're out on a trial date right now as we speak," and he turned to Adam who walked up to join them.

"Wh… what?!" Chris spluttered and Adam said, "What? You look surprised!"

Chris looked at them both and slowly, he gave them a lopsided grin and said, "You're kidding me, right?"

Both Adam and Jay shook their heads and Jay said, "Nope, we're seriously out on a date right now."

Chris was stunned but he recovered quickly, "But, why didn't you tell me earlier?" giving them a petulant pout.

"I might ask you the same thing!" Jay said crossly and folded his arms.

Adam added, "Yeah, you should have said something but you didn't! So, I took it upon myself to tell Jay what I think and … here we are. Do you have a problem with that?"

Chris scratched his head, looking abashed. He finally said, "I'm really sorry, guys. It was hard to tell the truth because I didn't want us to fall out. I really cherish your friendship. Will you forgive me?"

Jay relented and gave him a small smile, "Yeah, we forgive you. But next time, just tell the truth!" and he punched Chris friendly on the arm.

Chris grinned broadly and opening his arms, cried out, "Group hug!"

Adam and Jay grinned and obligingly moved into his arms. The three men hugged each other and Chris said, "Thanks guys, you're real pals! I promise not to hide anything from you again!" He couldn't help asking, "I'm puzzled by one thing though. If you two are going out, why did Adam take part in that game to try and win a kiss from Jeff?"

Adam looked embarrassed and hesitated to tell him but Jay urged him, "Just tell him! No secrets among friends, remember?"

Adam swallowed hard before saying, "I … huh … I've fallen for Jeff."

"WHAT!" Chris exclaimed with a shocked look on his face.

"I said I've fallen …" Adam repeated but Chris cut him off, "I heard you the first time! But, how can that be? You just said that you're going out with Jay!"

"He is going out with me but he has the hots for Jeffrey!" Jay informed Chris.

Chris was speechless. He grasped his hair with his hands and looked from Adam to Jay in disbelief. "You're kidding me, right?" he asked.

The two men shook their heads and Chris' shoulders slumped over in defeat. "And you're okay with it?" he asked Jay in a perplexed tone.

Jay shrugged his shoulders and said, "I don't know how things will work out between Adam and me but he's my buddy. If he wants a shot at Jeff, then he should go for it!" He folded his arms and looked gleefully from Chris to Adam and back to Chris again, "So, it looks like you're going to have competition for Jeff's affections," he addressed Chris.

Chris groaned and raised his eyes, imploring to the heavens above, "Why? Why do you hate me so much?" he asked the mighty Lord as Adam and Jay chuckled amusingly.

~*~

Jeff lay on his stomach between Mark and Glenn on the bed. He had been quiet since they left the fairgrounds. That was two hours ago. He had not uttered a word since. Both men tried to get him to talk but he either nodded or shook his head in response. They finally let him be. If and when Jeff was ready to talk, they would be there for him.

The two men were reading on either side of him and Jeff had been doodling in his journal. He was suddenly hit by inspiration and he penned the words down. He studied what he wrote –

_Consent to feel,_

_Your feelings are but your own _

_Consent to speak,_

_Say what you will_

_Consent to act,_

_Do as you deem fit_

_Consent to love,_

_Let your heart speak for itself!_

_Consent to live,_

_Without prejudice and judgment._

He sighed. The words depicted how he felt at the moment but they burdened him with their ambiguity! He gave furtive glances at Mark and then at Glenn. Both men had their noses buried in their books. He chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip. Should he ask them? Would they understand? On second thought, he decided against it, fearing the repercussions. He closed the journal and shoved it under his pillow. He didn't want to think about it, for now anyways.

He turned around to grab the giant panda bear lying at the foot of the bed and hugged it to him as he lay back on the bed. Glenn peered at him over his glasses and smirked. He marked the page he was on and placed the book on the side table, together with his glasses.

He removed the bear from Jeff's grasp and said, "There's no place for it in this bed when I'm lying next to you! What about hugging me instead?"

Jeff caressed his face absently as Glenn pulled him into a hug. Jeff had a faraway look on his face.

"Are you okay?" Glenn asked him and tweaked his nose, bringing him to his senses.

Jeff kissed Glenn softly and reassured him, "I'm fine." He paused before asking Glenn hesitatingly, "Have you ever loved anyone before me?"

Glenn looked startled and glanced over at Mark who found himself caught in their conversation. He stopped reading but remained silent. He was interested in where the conversation was leading to. Something was bothering their pup.

Glenn thought for a moment before saying, "Well, I had a crush on my football coach when I was in high school."

"Did you do anything about it? Like, did you tell him or show him?" Jeff asked again.

Glenn gave him a perplexed look but he answered anyway, "I didn't tell him but he knew. I always hanged around even after training was over. He would ask if it was all right for me to stay back so late after school every day and I told him that nobody would even miss me if I disappeared from the face of the earth!"

"Hey, that's not true! I would be worried sick if you were to disappear!" Mark protested gruffly.

Glenn chuckled before correcting himself, "Well … except for Mark" and he noted with amusement that Mark was now wearing a satisfied look on his face. He shook his head before continuing his tale. "I think Coach took pity on me, I was a loner. Sometimes, he would take me out for burgers and pizzas but he didn't say anything. I guess he just wasn't interested" he said wistfully.

Jeff hugged him, "Oh Glenn, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."

"That's all behind me but I have you now and you make me happy. That's all that matters," Glenn said softly before pecking Jeff on the lips.

"What about you, bits? Have you fallen for anyone?" Mark asked out of the blue and startled Jeff. He studied Jeff and watched his eyes clouded with confusion. He was going by his instinct and it told him that he was on to something.

"Jeff?" Glenn called out softly, realizing that Jeff wanted to tell them something but they would have to coax it out of him.

Jeff roused himself to answer, "I love both of you, Matty and daddy very much!"

He spoke with conviction and it seemed that he wanted to say something else to that but the phone rang and Jeff stopped. Mark cursed inwardly, what a damn time for it to ring! He picked up the phone and didn't even get to say hello. What the caller said got him to his feet. He listened attentively as the caller spoke rapidly and finally, he said, "We'll be right there!"

He replaced the handset and turned to Glenn and Jeff. Something about Mark's disposition told them that the caller boded bad news. "What's wrong?" Glenn asked.

Mark heaved a heavy sigh before saying, "Matt has gone missing."

Jeff leapt out of the bed with a sharp gasp and cried out, "What happened?"

"Calm down, Jeff. We're going back to the fair to find out. According to Kevin, they spread out to look for Raven but Scott and Matt failed to meet them at the entrance at the allotted time. They went looking for them and they found Scott unconscious. They revived him and he said they were jumped from behind. They are now trying to find Matt."

"It's Raven, he has my brother! We have to find him!" Jeff cried out and started to move towards the door.

"Hold it, Jeff," Mark grasped his arm to stop him. "I want you to stay here with Glenn. If Raven is involved, I don't want you putting yourself at risk! It's safer for you to stay here."

"No! I have to go! I can't stay here! I need to find my brother!" Jeff pleaded, helpless tears filling his eyes.

Glenn spoke up, "Mark, let him go. I wouldn't be able to stay still in one place if you were the one missing."

Mark finally relented and nodded his head, albeit reluctantly, "Okay, but make sure you stay with us all the time" and Jeff nodded and sniffled back his tears.

Mark held him close, "We will find Matt, everything's going to be alright," he comforted him and Jeff nodded amidst his tears.

~*~

Matt woke up to find himself gagged and bound to a chair. The light was dim but he made out that he was in a boathouse. He could hear and smell the sea. Realizing that he was alone, he struggled to free himself but he couldn't even budge. He let out a frustrated sigh after several attempts to loosen the ropes. He couldn't even straighten his legs to stand with the chair!

The door to the side opened and his eyes narrowed as Raven and Rhyno walked in. There was another man with them but Matt didn't recognize him. The third guy looked nervous and he was conversing in urgent tones with the two men. Raven stopped when he saw that Matt was awake.

He grinned and strode towards him. "Well, well. Looks like you've awakened. Are you comfortable?" he asked in an amused tone.

Matt said something to him but the words were muffled by the gag. Raven knew that Matt must have said something nasty to him from the death glare he was giving him.

"Don't be mad, I just need you for a while."

He studied Matt closely before saying, "You know, you don't look like your brother at all. In fact, the two of you don't even act like brothers!"

Rhyno interrupted his musing. "Hey man, are you sure you know what you're doing? This is tantamount to kidnapping! We can get into a whole load of trouble!" he said anxiously.

Raven looked thoughtfully at his friend before saying, "You two better leave then. I don't want to implicate you any further but thanks for all your help."

The third guy asked nervously, "You're not going to hurt him, are you?"

Raven shook his head, "Don't worry, I won't hurt him. He's Jeff's brother. I wouldn't dream of hurting his family. I'll let him go later."

"What if he tells the police about us?" Rhyno asked.

"I'll convince him not to talk. Now, just go! I've work to do!"

The two men nodded before leaving. Raven turned back to Matt. He studied him for a while before saying, "You don't look too comfortable. Will you promise not to yell if I remove the gag?"

Matt nodded and Raven said with a sigh, "Your little brother lied the last time but I'm going to take your word for it."

He moved forward to remove the gag and was pleasantly surprised that Matt didn't start hollering for help. He grinned, "Good! Now, we can talk!"

Matt asked gruffly, "What about?"

"That sweet brother of yours, of course! What do you call him, Jeffro? That's a really cute name!"

"You leave my brother alone!" Matt said between gritted teeth.

"Tsk tsk, you're such an angry young man! Calm down, I wouldn't hurt Jeff for the world!"

"What do you want from me?" Matt asked in a wary tone.

Raven sighed. "I'm really sorry to get you involved, but I don't see any other way to get near Jeff. Taker and Kane kept him on a tight leash. So, the only way I can get to him is through you. I hope you won't hold it against me." Raven sent him an apologetic look.

"Fuck you! You won't get away with this!" Matt snarled at him.

"There you go again, getting yourself worked up! And I'm trying to be nice here!" Raven shook his head in disappointment. "Well, since you're not going to co-operate, I might as well put the gag back on!" and he moved forward to do just that.

"Wait! Why are you doing this?" Matt asked hurriedly. He needed to find out as much as he could and figure a way to get out of this mess.

Raven stared at him and finally, allowing himself a small smile, he said softly, "Because I want Jeff. He means a lot to me!"

"What are you going to do?" Matt wanted to find out Raven's plan. He knew that the others were out looking for him and he wanted to buy some time. What he didn't know was that they weren't anywhere near the fair. They were three miles away from the location.

"Use you to get Jeff to come to me. I can't go to him because of his two watchdogs but I know he'll not hesitate to come forward to trade himself for you. I can see how close you two are. Hmm, since we have plenty of time on our hands, I might as well ask you this, are you having a love relationship with your brother?"

Matt shouted furiously, "What the hell are you saying! Jeff's my brother! You're a sick pervert to even think that!"

Raven shook his head, "You can't blame me for thinking that. I mean, it's unusual for brothers to kiss each other and show their affection so publicly."

"Fuck you! There's nothing wrong with us showing our affection. Anyway, what the hell has it go to do with you?"

"Matty, you really have a bad temper! You should really learn to be more polite. Just listen to yourself cussing! I'm glad Jeff isn't here to hear you mouth profanities. You should really set a better example to your innocent brother!"

He let out an exaggerated sigh before moving forward, "I think I better gag you, I simply can't bear to hear another cuss word from you!" and he gagged Matt again who tried to evade him but to no avail.

"There! Ahh … the beauty of silence," he grinned as Matt gave him a death glare. "Maybe I should blindfold you too. You're shooting daggers at me and I can feel their pointy ends! Ouch!" he winced and clutched his heart in exaggeration.

Matt muffled curses followed immediately and Raven grinned. "Jeffrey has such a sweet temperament. Unlike you, you're just the opposite!"

Matt tried to kick him and Raven just laughed at his futile efforts. "I think I've better get going. I've a date with your brother. I'll leave your eyes uncovered on account that you're Jeff's brother. I'll let you go once Jeff turns himself in. Now, try to get some rest because it's going to be a long night for you. See you tomorrow" and Raven left the boathouse after locking up.

Matt stared at the closed door. His shoulders finally slumped in defeat. He felt totally helpless, unable to go to his brother's aid. He prayed fervently that Mark and Glenn would keep Jeff safe from harm.

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

I love every single one of you who reviewed! Thank you so much!

Takerslady - Thank you for your six straight reviews! It means a lot when a reader catches up on the reading and made the effort to review after each chapter! This chapter is dedicated to you!

* * *

Chapter 24

By the time they reached the fairgrounds, the last of the crowd was dwindling out. Mark, Glenn and Jeff hurried past the gate towards Kevin and Scott. The others stopped talking and watched them silently. The situation looked bad.

"Have you found him yet?" Jeff asked frantically as Glenn wrapped his arm around him to offer him comfort and support.

Kevin and Scott shook their heads. Kevin gave him a sympathetic look and said, "I'm sorry, Jeff. We looked everywhere but we still can't find Matt." Scott had a grim look on his face.

Kevin turned to introduce the man beside him, "This is Mister Keeps. He operates the fair."

He waited patiently for them to shake hands and continued, "He has spoken to several of his employees but they haven't seen anything unusual. They are now going around checking if there's anyone left in the premises before they close up for the night. We're waiting for their report."

Mister Keeps suggested, "Why don't we go over to the tent and wait? It looks like a storm is building up."

As soon as he had spoken, there was a clap of thunder and Jeff visibly jumped and flinched. A cold gust of wind started to blow and flashes of lightning appeared in the distant, followed by low rumble of thunder.

Jeff cowered against Glenn and Mark said quickly, "Let us get inside. It's going to pour any minute!"

The group hurried towards the tent. The rain started to pelt down before they reached it and everyone ran for cover. They were totally drenched by the time they got to the safety of the tent.

"Are you alright?" Glenn asked Jeff as he wrapped his arms around himself. Mark gave him an anxious look. They remembered what Matt told them, that Jeff was terrified of thunderstorms. Shivering with cold and fear, Jeff nodded wordlessly. His teeth started to chatter and Glenn pulled him close to keep him warm.

"You can have my jacket, Jeff" Chris offered and quickly took off his leather jacket to give it to Jeff who accepted it with a grateful smile.

Glenn looked on as Jeff pulled it on but he didn't object. Everyone took seats and waited, there wasn't much they could do at the moment. The storm didn't seem to let up, it was clearly raging outside by the howling of the wind.

Mister Keeps sighed, "I hope the weather clears up by tomorrow. It's hard as it is trying to make a living without Mother Nature's interference."

Everyone was grateful for a change in topic. It took their minds off Matt's disappearance, albeit only temporarily.

Mark asked, "How long will you be staying here?"

"We are booked for three days. This is our first night only. Our ticket sales will be affected if the storm persists the next few days. We still need to keep everything running regardless of the number of people turning up."

Mark and the others nodded sympathetically. They turned as three men, with raincoats on, entered the tent. The men headed towards them and informed their employer that they had found no one on the premises. Matt was definitely not on the grounds.

"How can he disappear just like that? If he's not here, then Raven must have moved him, but to where, and how? You can't move a man around without being obvious and he must have help," Mark vocalized his thoughts to everyone.

Mister Keeps pondered deeply before speaking, "Unless he has the use of a boat."

"Would you care to explain?" Mark asked and Mister Keeps elaborated.

"We're just about a quarter mile from the nearest waterfront at Grinchville. I saw some boats moor at the back early this morning. I think they belong to the people staying in the vicinity. Your friend could have been taken away by boat. That explains why none of my men saw anything unusual on the grounds."

"Great! More bad news, that's all we need!" Glenn muttered and felt sorry immediately when Jeff choked back a sob and dashed the tears from his eyes.

Jeff felt as if his world was collapsing. His brother was missing and they didn't even know where he had been taken to! He thought back to the first day when he and Matt were told that WWF wanted to sign them on. They were ecstatic! Everything they had worked for had not been for naught. They had finally realized their lifelong dreams! The Hardy Boyz was going to make a name for themselves but, without Matt by his side, Jeff didn't want any of it, the fame, the fortune. He would willingly give everything up for his brother to come back safe and sound.

Feeling beyond miserable, Jeff got up and Mark asked him gently, "Where're you going? It's raining hard outside."

He felt Jeff's misery and didn't know how to comfort him. It was really hard not knowing where your loved one was or even if he was still alive. He didn't know if he could keep calm if Glenn was the one who had gone missing.

Jeff spoke softly, "I'm not going anywhere. I can't sit down and do nothing."

He walked towards the tent opening and gazed out into the storm, occasionally flinching outwardly when the thunder clapped. He could hear the neighing of the horses in the distance. They must have been freaked by the storm as well, he thought. Jeff stared into the night, his thoughts on his brother when there was a flash of lightning. He flinched as it lit up the sky and then, he saw him! He was standing about fifty feet from him and he was staring right back at him!

"Raven!" Jeff said in a whisper.

Throwing caution to the wind, he dashed out of the tent into the storm just as the thunder clapped. He didn't hear Mark and Glenn shouting out to him. His heart thudded loudly against his chest as he ran towards Raven. The storm frightened him but the sight of Raven urged him on. Raven had his brother, he would take him to Matt! Raven pulled him protectively against him as soon as he reached his side.

"Come with me, I'll take you to Matt," Raven said but he suddenly froze. "Shit! Your boyfriends are coming!" he growled and then pulled Jeff after him, "Hurry! We must get to the boat!"

Jeff was torn between following Raven and pulling back. He hesitated just for a split second and then decided. He had no choice but to go with Raven. It was the only way he could get to his brother! He took off with Raven, knowing that Mark and Glenn were in hot pursuit but he couldn't stop now. They reached the waterfront and Jeff clamored onboard the boat moored there. Raven untied the boat and jumped in after him.

"Hang on tight, I'm pulling out fast!" Raven shouted out a warning as he started the motor and steered the boat out.

It was difficult to see with the rain pelting down heavy and hard but Jeff saw Mark reached the waterfront first. He was about twelve feet from them. Jeff gasped with shock when Mark leapt the distance, trying to reach the boat just as Raven throttled the engine and increased speed. Mark managed to hang onto the railing with one hand as the boat raced out into the open sea.

"Mark!" Jeff screamed as he hurried to Mark's aid. Mark's grip started to loosen by the violent rocking of the boat against the choppy waves and the wet slippery rails. Before Jeff could get a firm hold on him, Mark lost his grip and fell backwards into the water.

"No!" Jeff cried out frantically as he watched Mark disappeared into the water as the boat sped away. Turning his head, he screamed at Raven, "You have to turn back, Mark fell in! He's in danger!"

Raven hesitated but Jeff's next words decided for him, "He'll die out there if we don't go back for him! Please, he won't survive the freezing waters in this storm! Save him, please!"

Raven immediately swung the boat around as he called out, "Take these flares and light them, we won't be able to find him in the dark!"

Jeff hurried towards him to collect the flares. He went to the bow and lit one, peering into the night, seeking out anxiously for Mark. Raven reduced speed, looking out into the waters.

He suddenly called out, "I see him, at two o'clock!" and guided the boat towards Mark and cut the engine.

Jeff leaned down to grasp Mark's outreaching arm and pulled with all his might. Raven reached out to help him and together, they managed to pull Mark into the boat. His teeth were chattering and he was numbed with cold. It had taken everything out of him to fight the turbulent waves just to keep his head above waters. He could only stare numbly as Raven locked his wrists in front with a pair of handcuffs as Jeff protested.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot take the risk," Raven told Jeff. He went across the boat and pulled a sheet of tarpaulin towards them. "Cover yourselves with this, it will keep you warm," he said and started unwrapping the canvass.

Jeff helped him and drew it over Mark and himself. He wrapped his arms around Mark, huddling close to him, sharing his body warmth.

Raven started the boat and swung it around. He shook his head as he headed towards their destination. He hadn't planned on taking an additional passenger but he couldn't bring himself to leave the Deadman out there to die. He was angry with Mark for humiliating him but it didn't warrant taking his life.

"Damn it! What am I supposed to do now?" Raven muttered to himself.

With a sigh of resignation, he changed course. He had planned on spending an intimate evening with Jeff at his cousin's place but he couldn't adhere to his plan now. He headed towards the boathouse instead. It took them fifteen minutes to get there. Securing the boat, Raven cautiously pulled the tarpaulin aside. He expected Mark to attack him but was surprised to see him visibly shaking in Jeff's arms. He looked pale and unwell.

Jeff looked at him with pleading eyes, "We need to get him to a doctor! The freezing water has given him the chills!"

Raven cautiously bent down to check, it could be a trick. But, Mark really didn't look well. The big man would have easily overcome him if he wasn't sick. He wasn't bluffing.

Raven turned to Jeff, "Help me get him into the shelter. We need to get him out of the wet clothes and keep him warm."

Jeff breathed a sigh of relief that Raven wasn't going to abandon Mark. Together with Raven, they carried Mark into the dry boathouse. Mark could hardly stand. Cold shivers wracked his body and Raven knew that they had to warm him up quickly. As they lowered Mark onto the hard but dry ground, Jeff heard muffles and looking up, saw Matt.

He cried out his brother's name in relief but Raven brought his attention to their immediate task, "Jeff, get him out of these wet clothes while I turn on the generator to heat up this place. We don't your boyfriend to suffer hypothermia."

Raven hesitated before unlocking the cuffs around Mark's wrists. It didn't seem that Mark was in any condition to attack him. Jeff quickly bent to his task while Raven went outside. Soon, they heard the generator kicked up and lights flooded the boathouse. For the first time, Jeff noticed the beaten up couch and blankets and several pieces of furniture dumped at a corner. There was even a makeshift kitchen with a stove. Raven appeared and looked at Mark grimly.

"Let us get him to the couch. It's more comfortable than the ground," he told Jeff and Mark found himself being lifted again and carried to the couch. Jeff tucked the blankets around Mark to keep him warm and eyed the stove, wondering if it was working. If he could get something hot for Mark to drink ….

As if Raven was reading his mind, he said immediately, "I'll brew us some coffee but do not untie your brother while I'm occupied. You should get out of those wet clothes yourself. I don't want you catching a chill too. There are more blankets and some clothes in that drawer. Just grab what you need."

As Raven busied himself at the stove, Jeff looked over to his brother and smiled at him reassuringly. Raven didn't hurt his brother and Matt's eyes assured him that he was unharmed.

He grabbed a blanket and asked Raven, "Can I give my brother a blanket? It's still pretty cold in here."

Raven looked over and said, "Go ahead, but Jeff, don't disappoint me by trying anything funny. I'm going to trust you on this."

Jeff nodded meekly and quickly went towards Matt with a blanket. He drew it over Matt's shoulders and wrapped it snugly around him before hugging and kissing him on the cheek. "Don't worry, Matty, everything's going to be alright!"

Matt nodded his head in response and gestured for Jeff to go back and take care of Mark. Jeff turned his attention back to Mark just as the aroma of coffee wafted through the boathouse. Raven pulled out a bottle of whiskey from a cupboard and added some into the cups of piping hot coffee while saying, "He'll feel better once he drinks this. The whiskey will warm him up fast."

As Jeff held Mark up to sip on the welcoming hot beverage, Raven rummaged in the drawer and pulled out some clothes. He stripped quickly and changed. He sipped his whiskey- laced coffee before bringing a cup to Matt. Removing the gag, he brought the body warming brew to Matt's lips who sipped it gratefully. The boathouse was slowly heating up but the cold air from outside was still seeping in. After Matt finished his drink, Raven left the gag off, doubting that anyone would come outdoors in the storm.

He turned to Jeff who was covering Mark with another blanket. Mark's eyes were closed and he had stopped shivering. There was some color in his cheeks and he seemed to have dozed off.

"Here, drink some of these, it'll keep you warm." Raven offered Jeff a cup of the hot brew. He took it and sipped at it carefully. After he had finished half the cup, Raven spoke softly to him, "I want you to take off your clothes."

Jeff blushed furiously as his eyes darted to Matt and then to Mark, wondering how to extricate himself from the embarrassing situation. Matt started to protest against the outrageous request but his head suddenly lolled and he muttered weakly in a half-conscious state. Jeff gasped when realization hit him. Raven had spiked their coffee!

"You're going to catch a chill if you don't get out of those wet clothes soon" Raven said. He went back to the drawer and pulled out a big shirt and a pair of shorts. "Here, change into these."

He suddenly realized that Jeff was staring at him with frightened eyes and with a sigh, said, "Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you, little one."

"Wh… what did you put in the coffee?" Jeff stammered.

"It was just something to help them sleep. It won't harm them. I just need some time with you, alone, without anyone listening or interrupting us."

Jeff gave him a dubious look but finally decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He stepped forward and reached out to take the clothes from Raven.

"Need any help?" Raven said in a teasing tone as he passed them to Jeff, who averted his eyes and shook his head bashfully.

Jeff glanced around, trying to find a private corner to undress but Raven was having none of that! His plan might not be totally ruined yet. Mark and Matt were in a deep sleep and wouldn't be able to interfere. He feasted his eyes on Jeff, looking forward to lying with him in his arms.

"Don't be so modest, I've seen you naked before, remember?"

Jeff shook his head and pleaded, "No, please don't force me!"

Raven advanced slowly towards him and Jeff backed away involuntarily. There was nowhere for him to run and even if he could, he couldn't leave Mark and Matt behind. He knew it and Raven knew it too. He started to tear, knowing that he had no choice in the matter.

"Don't cry, I would never hurt you. Come here," Raven spoke softly as he reached out for him.

Jeff sniffed back his tears and stood still. He looked down when Raven stood before him. Raven put a finger under his chin and tilted his head to look into his eyes. Jeff's emerald orbs clouded with confusion at the soft look Raven was giving him. He froze when Raven bent down and pressed his mouth gently against his, kissing him languorously. The voice in Jeff's head screamed at him to stop but his body responded to the sensuous kiss. Jeff found himself melting against Raven and he moaned softly, parting his lips at the insistent probing of Raven's tongue. Raven took his time to ravish Jeff's mouth, his hands slowly moved to peel off Jeff's shirt away from his body.

Jeff felt himself floating, it was almost dreamlike. He didn't know that his coffee was spiked as well, just enough to keep him conscious and participate in the sensual lovemaking that Raven had carefully planned. Raven released his mouth and bent to remove Jeff's pants and boxers. He stood up, running his hands over Jeff's now naked body. Jeff just stood there, his eyes glazed. Raven quickly stripped himself and shivered with relish as he moved his hands behind Jeff to knead his firm round globes before pressing Jeff fully against him. He groaned out loud and started to kiss Jeff frantically as he grind himself against him. Jeff whimpered as his body betrayed him. He wrapped his arms around Raven as he was lifted and carried towards the makeshift kitchen. Raven had already spread a piece of canvass on the floor and thrown some blankets on top of it. Jeff was slowly lowered to the ground and Raven climbed on top of him.

He nuzzled against Jeff's neck and whispered in his ear as he spread Jeff's legs apart to accommodate him, "I need you so badly that it hurts! Please don't hate me because I really do love you!"

Raven started to place feverish kisses, starting with Jeff's face and slowly worked his way downwards. His hands and mouth worked Jeff into a frenzy. Jeff arched his body upwards against his mouth, crying out in a needy voice. Raven released him from his mouth and reaching up, he pulled out a knife from a drawer. As in the previous occasion, he cut himself and let the blood collect in his palms before lubing his hard throbbing cock. He rubbed some of the blood around Jeff's pucker and gingerly, inserted two fingers in. Jeff cried out as Raven thrust his fingers in and around his tight passage, preparing him for penetration.

Raven was eager to be joined to Jeff again and without wasting any more time, he withdrew his fingers and replaced it with his cock, burying himself to the hilt with just one hard thrust. He could feel Jeff's shudders as he started a frantic pace, he couldn't hold back any longer! Pumping hard and furiously into Jeff, Raven growled as he neared completion. He palmed Jeff, stroking him in pace with his hard thrusts. Jeff writhed under him, crying out deliriously as every thrust jabbed at his prostate. He felt himself approaching climax and clawed frantically at Raven's back as he came, screaming his release. Raven let out a lusty roar and ejaculated his full load into Jeff. Jeff's spasms continued to milk him until he was dry. Raven slumped to the side and rested. Once he was able to move, he pulled Jeff to lie in the crook of his arm.

He covered his face with kisses before finally telling him in a hushed whisper, "Whatever happens, just remember that I will always love you!"

Jeff sighed softly in response as his eyes finally closed and he drifted off blissfully to sleep.

~*~

Glenn was frantic with worry. He was at a loss as to what to do. He saw Jeff got into the boat with Raven and then Mark had made that leap across the waters to get to them! When Glenn saw his brother fall into the sea, something died in him. He felt cold and numbed. He didn't even have the heart to rage. Kevin, Scott, Sean, Adam, Jay and even Chris, Hunter and Shawn, all of them tried to console him but he was inconsolable. In just one night, he lost his brother and his soul mate.

There was still a glimpse of hope that Mark was still alive. They saw the flare and the boat turning back but the high rolling waves caused by the storm made it impossible to tell if the boat picked up Mark.

The police came and took down their reports. They had called in the naval police to conduct a search but the storm held them back. By the time the storm passed, three hours had gone by. The cutter had gone out to sea but so far, no one was found. Glenn prayed fervently that Mark was picked up by Raven. He knew that Raven hated Mark with a vengeance but the fact that the boat did turn back gave him hope that there was still some compassion left in that man.

"Come on, Glenn. You need to get some rest. It's almost three in the morning. There's nothing else we can do, except to wait. Let us go into the tent and get some sleep," Kevin said as he put an arm around the younger man.

The waterfront was crawling with activity. The police was still searching and everyone looked exhausted. Glenn shook his head disconsolately and allowed himself to be guided to the tent. The others followed suit. It had been a long night indeed.

Adam and Chris looked crestfallen and Jay was offering his shoulders for them to lean on. He sighed sadly. Why must things end this way? Mark and Matt might be dead and Jeff? Would they ever find him? He felt like crying and he was positive that Adam and Chris felt the same way too. Those two loved Jeff and it was a shame that they didn't get a chance to be with him. He glanced over at his buddies. They were weary but still awake. He sighed. Who could sleep anyway? He continued with his musing. Jeff knew that Chris liked him but Adam never got a chance to tell him. Jay knew that his friends were hurting but there was nothing he could do. That night was a night of revelations for him. He realized that love couldn't be ordered and had come to terms that just as he and Chris could never be a couple, he and Adam would remain as friends. He just didn't feel that way towards Adam and had told him so. He was glad that Adam respected his decision.

His reverie was interrupted when Chris got up abruptly and walked towards Glenn. He was sitting with the Kliq members. Chris pulled out something from his pocket and handed it to Glenn.

"This belongs to Jeff. I hope it will give you some comfort," Chris said softly.

Glenn took the hair band, which he had bought for Jeff, from Chris. He fingered it softly before looking up. "How did you get this?" Glenn asked in a perplexed tone.

Chris looked embarrassed but he explained how he got it, ending with, "I kept it because it smells like Jeff and it makes me feel close to him." He let out a sad sigh.

Glenn remained silent. He was touched by Chris' thoughtful gesture but it wasn't in his nature to show his appreciation. Only Mark and Jeff got to see that soft side of him.

Chris turned to go but stopped when he heard Glenn utter softly, "Thanks, Chris!"

He turned back and gave him a smile before returning to Adam and Jay's side. Jay patted him on his back and said, "It's really nice of you to do that. I think Glenn and Mark would be more receptive to you from now on."

"You think Mark is still alive?" Adam asked in a hushed whisper.

There was an uneasy silence and then Jay spoke, "The boat turned back. If Jeff was able to get Raven to turn around, he wouldn't leave without Mark. I'm sure that they got Mark with them."

Both men nodded their agreement, it made sense. Jeff would never allow Raven to leave Mark behind!

Hunter got up suddenly and exclaimed, "That's it! Why didn't I think of it earlier?" He startled everyone.

Kevin asked anxiously, "What is it, Hunt?"

"Vince! We call Vince and he can get the army, the navy and the air forces to help look for Mark, Jeff and Matt! Vince has friends in powerful places, he can do anything!"

Everyone gasped and Kevin grinned, "You're brilliant!" and impulsively, kissed Hunter on his mouth.

"Hey!" Hunter pushed him away gruffly and Sean chuckled.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Shawn asked and there was a scramble to call Vince McMahon, their billionaire boss.

An hour later, Vince came down with his son, Shane. He didn't come alone. The mayor of the town was also with him. At four plus in the morning, now, that was impressive and deserved bragging rights! After hearing what happened from Hunter over the phone, he had also taken the liberty of dragging Bradshaw and Rhyno down with him. Well, he had actually threatened to fire them if they didn't tell him what he needed to know. Rhyno finally cracked and told them about the hideout three miles away. He said that Matt was kept there but he wasn't sure if Raven had taken Jeff there as well.

The mayor had called in additional reinforcements and high speed cutters were already moored at the waterfront to take them to their destination. The McMahons and the mayor decided to stay and supervise the rescue operations from their current position. All the wrestlers clamored onboard the vessels and in twenty minutes, they were heading out. Rhyno went along under heavy police escort. He was the only one who could lead them there.

As the vessels cut through the waters at high speed, one common thought assailed everyone's mind. Would they find Mark alive, with Matt and Jeff?

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Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………………….


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

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Chapter 25

Raven raised his head from the sound mound of blankets and listened. He thought he heard the sounds of approaching motorboats and they seemed to be heading towards the boathouse!

"Damn it! Someone betrayed me!" he growled softly under his breath and wondered how much time he had to get away.

He looked down at Jeff in his arms. He was still sleeping soundly. Raven smiled down softly at him before kissing him tenderly on the lips. He brushed Jeff's hair softly away from his face, speaking in a whisper, "I have to go now. I don't know if I'll be able to see you again but remember, I love you, my wildflower!"

He brushed his lips against Jeff once more before carefully extricating himself. He laid Jeff's head gently down on the blankets and covered him with a blanket, before getting up and getting dressed quickly. He grabbed his carrier and thrust his clothes randomly into it. Finally, he grabbed the sheathed hunting knife hidden under the sink and tucked it into the waistband of his pants. He gave Jeff one final look before heading towards the door but stopped suddenly. There were voices coming from the outside and from the sounds of it, they had already landed.

Raven cursed and stepped back. He couldn't leave by the front anymore. He looked up at the ceiling but there was no way for him to climb up. The only other way out was for him to try and slip past them underwater. He wasn't looking forward to entering the freezing water but he had no other choice! Dropping his carrier, Raven moved to the side and gently lowered himself into the cold freezing waters. He took a deep breath, held it in and dived down into the darkness. Soon, nothing but bubbles of air broke the surface, the only indication that someone was there a few seconds ago.

~*~

Glenn and the others scrambled out of the boats. The boathouse was lighted up but there was no sign of movement. He turned to Rhyno who was led forward by four escorts.

"Are you sure this is the place? It doesn't seem there's anyone around," Glenn said as he eyed the place dubiously.

"This is the place!" Rhyno insisted. "Raven and I brought Matt here. It belongs to his cousin who stays about a mile up north."

"So, what do we do now? Do we barge in or what?" Glenn asked the police escorts, his voice tinged with anxiety. He couldn't wait to get into the boathouse. He was keeping his fingers crossed and praying fervently that he would find his brother in there, with Jeff and Matt.

"The suspect could be armed. We don't want to endanger anyone in there so allow us to examine the grounds first before we decide on a strategy," the chief commander informed him and immediately, gave orders for the place to be surrounded and posted two men to stand guard over the boat belonging to the suspect.

The others waited anxiously while everything was put in place. There didn't seem any way out for Raven, if he was still in there. Soon, the order came and the chief commander brought up a speaker to speak through it.

"This is the coastal police. We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up! If you are not out in five minutes, we will move in!"

Everyone stared at the door, waiting impatiently for Raven to step out and surrender himself but there was no movement whatsoever. Seconds ticked away, followed by minutes. Finally, the five-minute grace was up!

The commander raised his speaker and said, "Your time is up! We're moving in!" and with that, he signaled and two armed men darted forward in a zigzag fashion towards the door. They placed themselves on both sides of the door and on a signal, one man moved to kick the door open. He crouched and rushed in, his weapon ready to fire on any sign of aggression. To everyone's relief, there was no firing of arms but they were still anxious to know if anyone was in there.

Finally, a shout rang out, "All clear! The suspect is not in the vicinity! I repeat! Suspect is not in the vicinity!" One police officer reappeared and called out, "Call the medic! We have located the three victims!"

Glenn and everyone else rushed forward. He was the first one through the door and at the sight of his brother lying on the couch, he almost cried with relief. He went forward immediately to check on him, breathing out a sigh of relief when he realized that Mark was soundly asleep. He looked up and saw Scott and Kevin untying a drowsy Matt. His heart thudded furiously as he glanced around frantically. _'Where's Jeff?'_

"Over here!" Chris shouted. His head disappeared under the sink and when he stood up, he was carrying Jeff in his arms. He was wrapped in a blanket. Glenn rushed towards them and his eyes met Chris who handed Jeff over, albeit somewhat reluctantly. He grinned though when Glenn thanked him with a grateful look in his eyes. Glenn studied Jeff's closed eyes before hugging him fiercely to him. He would die if anything happen to Jeff and Mark! He carried Jeff towards Mark and sat down on the floor, Jeff in his arms. He wasn't about to let anyone take him away from him. He held Jeff with one arm and reaching out, grasped Mark's hand tightly with the other.

He spoke to his brother in a broken voice, "We're back together again, Mark! Don't ever leave me like that again, you hear!" and tears of relief started to course down his cheeks. He cried silently, ignoring the compassionate looks his co-workers were giving him. Jay, Adam, Chris and Sean found themselves tearing as well. Kevin pulled Sean into his arms while Adam, Jay and Chris cried on each other's shoulders.

Shawn sniffed loudly and started to cry. What he had just witnessed had opened his eyes to several revelations. He would have never thought that Glenn was an emotional person. He bit down on his lips as remorse overtook him. He had never tried to understand Glenn and he had forced Mark to choose between Glenn and him. What a damn fool he was, thinking that he was more important than Mark's own flesh and blood! He cried harder at the realization. Glenn almost lost Mark and Jeff, the only two people in the world he could relate to. And he, Shawn Michaels, had been taking Hunter, the man who undeniably loved him, for granted! He felt so ashamed of himself, for his behavior towards Mark, Glenn, Jeff and Hunter. He felt like dirt at the moment! He found a pair of arms wrapped around him and knew without a doubt that they belonged to Hunter.

"You're okay, Shawny?" Hunter asked him as he held him close to his heart and Shawn cried even harder. He had behaved so badly yet Hunter always stood by him and forgave him readily. He felt so blessed to have Hunter's love! Hunter shook his head in puzzlement but he let Shawn cry.

Scotty held Matt in his arms and smiled softly at the scene, tears in his eyes. The night's event had instilled something in everyone, and it was all good. Matt started to stir in his arms and he looked down to see his eyes opening. He smiled as Matt finally recognized him and pulled him into a hug, "Hey, Angel, glad you're finally awake!"

"Jeff? Mark? Are they okay?" Matt murmured as he tried to sit up but Scotty pushed him down gently.

"They're fine. They're being taken care of. What about you? Are you hurt?" and Matt shook his head, "Just drowsy."

"Lean on me and rest then. I don't think we'll be leaving anytime soon," Scott told him and Matt leaned against him, sighing softly. He felt safe and closed his eyes. The effects of the sedative had not worn out yet.

Suddenly, shouts were heard coming from the outside. Everyone went on the alert and the commander told them to stay where they were as he went out to investigate. Minutes later, he returned but he had Raven in tow. Everyone gasped. Raven was drenched and shivering and he had his arms cuffed behind his back. Glenn placed Jeff gently on the floor and stood up.

His face revealed his intentions. He walked menacingly towards Raven but the commander put out his hand to stop him. "Keep back, we have him in custody! Don't do anything foolish!" he warned but Glenn pushed him aside. Immediately, several policemen placed themselves between Glenn and Raven and they had their weapons pointed at Glenn.

Kevin rushed forward and shouted, "No, Glenn! Don't do this! They have apprehended him. Let the police handle this, please!" but Glenn was too enraged to listen.

He continued to advance towards Raven, his eyes trained on him and the police officers were shouting at him to stop. The situation was getting out of hand and Kevin and the others didn't know what to do. Glenn never listened to anyone, except Mark.

Just as Glenn was about to reach out to grasp a weapon pointed at him, a low voice rang out loud and clear, "Don't you dare touch him, Glenn, or I'll tan your hide!"

Glenn gasped and turned around to see Mark getting up, somewhat unsteadily, to his feet. He was clutching the blanket to him. "Mark!" he cried out and moved forward to catch Mark as he stumbled forward.

Mark leaned weakly against him and asked, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? What am I supposed to tell Jeff if anything happened to you?"

Glenn's response was to break down in tears. He hugged Mark tightly to him and Mark tried to calm him down, patting his back with one hand. He sighed when Glenn finally stopped crying and he eased himself away from his brother.

"I'm sorry for making you worried but can you help me find some clothes? I'm in my birthday suit and I really feel exposed, standing in a room, full of people, watching me."

Glenn couldn't help but chuckle amidst his tears. He led Mark back to the couch and he sat down gratefully, adjusting the blanket to cover his lower half discreetly. Glenn then picked Jeff up from the floor and he opened his eyes to look at him, bleary-eyed. He was not fully awake yet, not fully registering that they had been found. Glenn bent to kiss him fondly between his eyes before placing him on the couch beside Mark who pulled Jeff close to him. Jeff immediately cuddled close to Mark. He looked confused and tried to recall what took place. His attention was drawn to the big crowd at the door but he had yet to see Raven, who was surrounded by police officers.

The police was questioning Raven but he refused to talk. He was shivering with cold and someone brought a blanket to wrap around him. The medic finally arrived and the four men were examined separately. Mark had caught a bad chill and would have to stay at the hospital. The blood at Jeff's entrance caused alarm. The medic asked Jeff gently if he had intercourse with anyone within the last four hours and he had whimpered. He finally recalled the events prior to their rescue. He cast his eyes down shamefully, feeling that he had betrayed Mark and Glenn, yet again.

It was decided to admit him to the hospital for further examination. Glenn demanded to know why and the medic had looked uneasy to reveal the reason. Mark caught on that something wasn't right and told Glenn that it was just a precautionary measure. Glenn reluctantly let it go but he had his suspicion.

Matt was fine and he was able to leave with the rest. He approached his brother and interlocked his fingers with his, speaking softly so that only Jeff could hear him, "I know what happened, but it wasn't your fault. So, don't go blaming yourself. I'll talk to Mark and Glenn."

But Jeff shook his head and said forlornly, "It is my fault! I brought all these upon myself and on those who are close and dear to me. I think it's better for me to be on my own. I'm nothing but a curse!"

He turned away from his brother, trying to hide his tears of anguish but Matt knew him better. Pulling Jeff to him, he hugged and kissed his brother, before telling him firmly, "You are not a curse! I'll whup your ass if you say that again!"

Jeff sniffed and looked down, unable to look into his brother's eyes. He didn't feel that he could ever look into Mark and Glenn's eyes again. He had done them wrong and he felt so guilty.

"Look at me, Jeffro!" Matt said, cupping his brother's face to look at him, "I know what you're thinking but you're wrong! Mark and Glenn truly love you! If you leave, you're letting them down!"

"I've already let them down!" Jeff whispered with finality before withdrawing from his brother.

He couldn't tell Matt that his guilt came not only with his copulation with Raven but also that he had begun to have feelings for Raven after he had given him the flowers at the fair. He truly wanted to disappear from the face of the earth. He was hurting so bad, his heart was breaking. It hurt to think about leaving Mark and Glenn. He loved them with every breath in his body and he didn't know if he could bring himself to leave them when the time came. And Raven. He was an odd one, somewhat like Glenn. No one bothered to see the real person hiding underneath that harsh façade.

Raven was taken away. He was beginning to burn with fever and the medic decided to hospitalize him but he was placed under arrest for kidnapping charges. Rhyno was taken in as well for kidnapping and a police car was now on its way to put Raven's cousin under arrest for the same charges.

Bradshaw stood by silently. He was disappointed that Raven and Rhyno acted without his knowledge and against his directive. What kind of a leader was he if he couldn't take charge of his men? He decided to disband his group with immediate effect.

~*~

_Two months later ……._

Shane and Shannon whooped before leaping into the crystal clear lake. The water splashed up and drenched Jeff who was sitting at the wooden platform. He screamed and shook his hands at them but he wore a grin on his face. His upper body was bare and he wore jeans, cut-off at the knees. He swung his legs freely and laughed as he watched his friends dunked each other in the water. But his friends knew him better. Jeff hadn't been happy since he left two months ago.

Upon his discharge from the hospital, he had asked Vince for his release and Vince had been sympathetic. He wasn't willing to let Jeff go but granted him time off instead. He told Jeff to take as much time as he needed but he wanted him back. Matt had coaxed his brother to accept Vince's generosity. He advised Jeff not to be hasty, telling him that he would ultimately change his mind. It was all they had worked for and they had just started their run. He told Jeff that if he chose to leave, he would leave as well. It was tantamount to blackmail and Matt knew it but Jeff was making a big mistake and he would coerce him to stay, using any means he could!

The time off hadn't done Jeff any good. He was melancholy all the time. He had lost his cheerfulness and was always looking into the distance with a lost look in his eyes. He missed Mark and Glenn so terribly that he cried himself to sleep every night. He missed lying between them on the bed, he missed going to the gym with them, he missed hearing their light snores in the night and he missed having their arms around him. There were times he would pick up the phone to call them but each time, he would chicken out and replace the phone. He would then retire to the privacy of his room and took down their drawn pictures from the walls and hugged them to him as he lay on his bed and sobbed his heart out.

Matt had came back home several times in the past two months. Each time, he would relay Mark and Glenn's well wishes to him and told him that they missed him. The others had also sent their warm wishes, telling him to return as soon as he could. Matt would then tell Jeff what Mark and Glenn had been up to. Jeff would listen attentively and eagerly to everything Matt told him about them. As soon as he was alone in his room, he would bury his face in his pillow and cry. He didn't know that Matt overheard his piteous cries. It had gone on for two long months and Matt finally couldn't bear to see his baby brother so miserable any longer. He decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Jeffro!"

Jeff heard his name being called and turned around in surprise. Matt wasn't supposed to be back until next week. He got up and ran towards the familiar figure. It was really Matty! He flung himself into Matt's open arms and squealed delightfully as Matt swung him around before putting him down.

"What're you doing here by yourself?" Matt asked him as he kissed him on his cheek.

"I'm not alone, Shane and Shanny are playing in the lake," Jeff informed him as he gave his brother an affectionate hug.

"Hmm, so, why aren't you playing with them?" Matt queried and studied the mixed reactions on his brother's face. He should have known! Jeff wouldn't allow himself the luxury of having fun anymore. He was punishing himself for betraying and hurting Mark and Glenn.

Jeff changed the subject and asked curiously, "I thought you'll only be back next week. Is something wrong?"

Matt shook his head, "Nope, everything's fine. Let us get Shane and Shannon and come with me. I have a surprise for you!"

Jeff couldn't help wondering what Matt was up to. He thought furiously. Was it daddy's birthday? No, it won't be for the next couple of months. It was neither his nor Matty's birthday either. So, what could it be?

Shane and Shannon shouted with glee when they saw Matt. He called out to them to hurry and haul their asses up, telling them that he had a surprise for them. They swam to the platform and scrambled up the steps. They shook their heads like dogs, laughing when the water flew and hit Matt and Jeff and ran screaming as the brothers chased after them. They piled their bikes in Matt's pickup truck and Shane and Shannon got in the back. Jeff rode in front with his brother.

"What's the surprise, Matty?"

The suspense was killing Jeff and he kept trying to get Matt to tell him all the way home but Matt's lips were sealed. He didn't want to spoil the surprise.

As soon as Matt parked the truck in front of the house, Jeff heard voices coming from within. It looked like they had visitors. They got out and headed towards the door. As they neared the porch, someone laughed and Jeff froze. He recognized that laugh!

Matt urged him forward, "Come on, Jeff. It's rude to keep our guests waiting. I have to leave them alone in the house to come get you. Daddy's gone to pick up more supplies. They'll be staying with us for a while."

In a daze, Jeff found himself propelled forward until he was in the house. Their guests stood up to smile warmly at him. He looked at them, completely bewildered by their presence. He continued to stand there, unmoving. There was a momentary silence before one of them opened his arms and with a choked sob, Jeff flew into his arms.

Glenn squeezed him tight and rasped out in an emotionally filled voice, "I miss you so much!"

Jeff was too emotional to speak. He clasped his hands around Glenn's neck and squeezed his eyes tight, trying not to cry but the tears leaked and rolled gently down his cheeks. Glenn finally set him down and thumbed the tears away from his face gently. He stepped aside and Jeff found himself standing in front of Mark. Mark opened his arms and Jeff rushed into them. He now cried openly, his barriers finally breaking down. Mark hugged him, his own eyes wet with tears. The poignant moment caused several pairs of eyes to tear.

Mark finally released him and said, "We want you to come back. It's not the same without you!"

Jeff gasped as he tried to speak. He finally choked out, "I miss you both terribly! I … I never meant to hurt you!" and burst into tears again.

Mark pulled him into a hug and reassured him, "We know, bits. We understand. It's alright, we never blame you. You didn't give us a chance to tell you. We tried to reach you but Vince told us to give you time. We waited but we just couldn't wait any longer. We just had to come. Matt here finally sent us an open invitation, so we're not stepping out of boundaries. We didn't want to turn up and have your daddy point his shotgun at us!"

And that brought a chuckle from Jeff, amidst his tears. He wiped his eyes and looked bashfully at his other guests. Adam, Jay and Chris grinned at him. Jay moved forward first to hug him.

"Hey, Jeff, good to see you again!" he said and Jeff hugged him back. Jay stepped back and Adam took his place.

He smiled gently down at him before pulling him into a hug. "I'm so glad to see you, we miss you!" he whispered against his hair. He released Jeff and stepped back, glancing quickly at Mark and Glenn to see if they took offense to his forwardness with Jeff. But, both men looked on nonchalantly. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

Chris stepped up and Jeff looked at Mark and Glenn. He hadn't forgotten how much they disliked Chris but they smiled and nodded.

Chris wrapped his arms around Jeff and said in a loud whisper against his ear, "Come back soon! I need to torment Glenn but I can't do that without you!" drawing loud chuckles from everyone.

Glenn gave him a deadly glare but the quirk of his mouth told Jeff that he was just as amused as everyone else. Jeff returned Chris' hug and was taken aback when Chris suddenly kissed him on the cheek.

Glenn growled and pulled Jeff away from him, "Watch it! I didn't say that you could kiss him!"

Chris grinned at him and said, "Too late! I finally got to kiss Jeff!" He did some nifty footwork dance and chanted, "Jeff and Chrissy sitting in the tree, K.I.S.S.I.N.G!"

He whooped with glee and the others chortled with laughter. Jeff blushed and Mark shook his head at their childishness. Glenn had a scowl on his face. He promised himself that it was the last time he allowed Chris any privileges, especially when it came to Jeff. Both men had formed an unusual friendship after the incident. They enjoyed tormenting each other but they were friends, Glenn allowed Chris to get away with his taunts. He had agreed to let him come along, extracting his promise that he would not try any funny moves on Jeff. Chris just broke his promise! Glenn knew he would find a way to get him back! It had been a game between them and their co-workers had a roaring time seeing them best each other!

Shannon finally overcame his bashfulness and pushed forward to stare at them. He looked at Mark and then at Glenn in awe.

Putting out his hand, he squeaked nervously, "Hi, I'm Shannon Moore. Welcome to Cameron!"

He found his small hand enveloped by huge ones as Mark and Glenn introduced themselves and shook his hand. Once his hand was released, he stared at his hand with his mouth open before giving them an impish grin.

"I'm not going to wash my hands ever! I just shook hands with the Undertaker and the Big Red Machine! My friends are going to die with envy when they hear about this!" and he ran off to tell anyone and everyone he met along the way.

The others chortled amusingly as Shane stepped forward to shake everyone's hands and introduced himself, "I'm Gregory Shane Helms. Please call me Shane. I'm glad you're finally here! We've been waiting anxiously to meet you all!"

He was overwhelmed by their presence and it showed. Matt had told him about the invitation and warned him not to tell Shannon or Jeff. Shannon couldn't keep a secret and Matt didn't know if Jeff would hightail and run if he knew.

Jay immediately took a liking to him, charmed by his manners and maturity. He didn't look away when Shane's eyes wandered to him from time to time. There was definitely an attraction between them. Shane was apparently interested in getting to know him better but he acted casual.

Matt noticed and smiled. It looked like his invitation had boded well for everyone! Well, almost everyone. He looked at Adam and Chris. Chris might get his chance since Mark and Glenn had already accepted him into their group. But Adam had yet to tell Jeff about his feelings for him. Matt wasn't too keen for him to do that. He was worried for his friend's safety. He shook his head and thought, _'Whatever will be, will be.'_

His thoughts suddenly went to Raven and he pondered. Should he tell Jeff? He looked over to see Jeff smiling happily, Mark and Glenn's arms around him. Not yet, he decided. But he would have to tell him, just not today.

* * *

Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………..


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

I love your amazing reviews, thank you! It looks like I've managed to sway some of you to Raven's side, well, confused is more the word. *hehe* I feel pretty good about that! But hey, you can continue to hate him if you choose to! I'll let you be the judge of that!

I'm having fun writing this. I hope you're enjoying it too!

Chapter 26

_Flash back ~ Two weeks after Raven was arrested ……….._

"He will see you now, and please, don't make things more difficult as it is? We're only trying to help you."

Shane McMahon was outside his father's office. He had posted bail for Raven and Rhyno and both men were out of jail. He had a conversation with Rhyno a couple of days ago and learned that Raven was the mastermind behind the kidnappings. Rhyno was only trying to help him out. Shane had also spoken to Raven's cousin, Chuck, who insisted that he had no inkling of Raven's plan. He only found out what Raven was up to when Matt was brought to his boathouse and it was too late by then, he was already implicated.

Shane managed to find out a little bit about Raven while talking to Chuck. Raven was not known to form tight relations with anyone and why he went after Jeff the way he did was still a puzzle, unless …. '_He has fallen in love with Jeff! That's the only logical explanation,'_ Shane had thought to himself.

Regardless of how Raven had felt then, he had gone about doing things the wrong way. Kidnapping and assault were serious charges! Strangely, Jeff didn't want to press charges against Raven. He and his father had thought it odd but in spite of talking to Jeff, he refused to say why, and they had left it at that.

Shane had informed his father the bits of information he found out about Raven from Chuck. It was the reason why Raven was currently in the office. His father wanted to talk to him personally.

"Look, I really see no reason why I'm here. It's just a total waste of time!" Raven grumbled.

"We bail you out! Have the courtesy of hearing my father out! Or do you want to go back to jail?" Shane was getting exasperated by his attitude.

Raven let out a frustrated sigh before relenting, "Fine, but I'm telling you you're wasting your time!"

Shane smiled and nodded, "We'll be the judge of that! Now, lets go! We don't want to keep my dad waiting, he's a busy man!"

Raven muttered something incoherent under his breath but Shane ignored him. He knocked and opened the door, gesturing for Raven to enter first.

Vince looked up from the paperwork on his desk as his son and Raven entered. "Take a seat," he invited as he contemplated Raven quietly.

He had been going through Raven's profile and wanted to speak to him before deciding on the next course of actions to take.

"Would you prefer me to address you as Scott or Raven?" Vince asked.

Raven scowled. "Raven," he finally answered. No one called him by his real name anymore. It was his birth given name but he was detached from it. He didn't allow anyone to get too close to him to call him 'Scott'. Maybe, Jeff would be the exception. He would be pleased if Jeff would call him by his given name the next time they meet. A soft smile broke on his face as he thought fondly of him. He missed him. He pushed that thought unwillingly aside when Vince cleared his throat to get his attention.

Vince immediately got to the point. "Want to tell us why you did what you did, Raven?"

Raven kept quiet, his face an impassive mask. He wasn't going to volunteer any information, if he could help it.

Vince sighed. "You need to talk to me so that we can figure out a way to help you. I can't keep you out of jail if you're not going to co-operate."

There was a long silence and Raven finally muttered something but Vince couldn't hear him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." Vince leaned forward and waited for Raven to repeat what he just said.

"I said I want to be with Jeff!" Raven said gruffly.

Vince leaned back and smiled. They were getting somewhere at last! He was initially worried that Raven would refuse to talk. Unbeknownst to Raven, he had engaged a psychologist who was sitting in the room next door right at the moment. The speaker phone was on and the psychologist was able to hear every word being said. He had prepared a list of questions for Vince who was going to lead Raven to answer them. They were aimed to find out more about Raven to justify if he still had redeeming qualities. Chuck didn't paint a pretty picture of Raven's childhood years and Vince wanted to know if Raven was too far gone to be helped.

"So, you love Jeff?" Vince asked gently and Raven fixed him with a glare but he finally nodded.

"You love him," Vince spoke as a matter-of-fact. "Does Jeff love you back?"

Raven lowered his eyes and stared at something on the table. He couldn't respond because he didn't know.

"Has Jeff ever said that he loved you?" Vince probed. There was a tensed silence and finally, Raven shook his head.

Vince sighed and asked, "Have you ever asked him if he has feelings for you?"

Raven snapped, "I wasn't with him long enough to ask him anything! His watchdogs kept him on a tight leash all the time! I couldn't even get near him!"

"So, you thought that you could just kidnap and rape him and he would develop feelings for you?"

"I didn't rape him! I would never, ever, hurt him!" Raven shouted with fury as he got out of his chair.

Shane put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Calm down, Raven!"

He turned to his father and shook his head discreetly, telling his father wordlessly not to agitate the man. Vince decided to direct the questioning to safer grounds.

"Let us go back to your earlier years. You were a single child and you lost your mother when you were in your teens. You were raised by your father."

"Stepfather!" Raven spat out. He sneered and asked, "What is this? Trying to get inside my head? It's not going to work!"

"Just answer the question!" Shane said in an assertive tone. Raven turned to glare at him but his attention was called back to Vince.

"Where's your real father?" Vince asked softly and when Raven stubbornly refused to answer, he spoke authoritatively, "Answer my questions or I'll wash my hands off you! I'm the only person right now who can keep you out of jail! Now, do you still want to fight me?"

Raven hated to admit it but Vince was right. He had nothing to lose by telling him what he wanted to know but everything to lose if Vince gave up on him!

"He left when I was thirteen," he finally said in a gruff manner.

"So, your mother raised you herself?"

Raven let out a harsh laugh. "How could she? She was pissed drunk all the time!"

"Then, how …?" Vince prompted and Raven reluctantly obliged, "I worked and put myself through high school."

"But, you were only thirteen!" Vince was shocked. Astonishment was written on both McMahons' faces.

Raven shrugged, "I had to fend for myself or starve. It was no biggie, once you know where to look for money."

"What did you do?" Shane asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Raven smirked, "You don't want to know!"

Vince and Shane looked at each other and decided not to pursue that angle. Everything was on tape and it was better not to know! Anyway, they got the idea that Raven had a rough childhood.

"When did your mother remarry?"

"I don't remember. I went away for a couple of weeks and when I came back, he was a permanent resident in the house. She told me that they were together and he was staying, for good!" He gave a bitter short laugh.

"Did you all get along?"

Raven laughed harshly and said, "He beat the holy hell out of her every chance he got! I stayed out of his way, away from the house. One day, she mixed pills with alcohol and the concoction made her heart stop. I was made an orphan."

"You were fifteen then?" Vince asked and Raven frowned before nodding. It seemed that Vince had already dug out some information about him. He seemed to know details of his past.

"What did you do after she passed on? Vince gulped before asking. It was hard to grasp that the man sitting before him had led nothing but a harsh life ever since he was a teenager. He had no one to turn to for help.

"I packed up and left. There was nothing there for me, it was all misery!" he said quietly.

Vince and Shane couldn't help feeling sorry for him. His life had been a nightmare.

"How did you survive on your own?"

"I made what I could on the streets. Like I said, it wasn't hard if you know where to look. But, after I finished high school, I decided to leave that life behind. It was nothing but decadence! I never wanted that but I really didn't have a choice then."

Vince and Shane nodded their understanding, they couldn't dispute that. Circumstances had forced the young man to live that way. He was not to be blamed. But one thing they knew for certain, Raven was a tough son of a bitch to be able to survive on his own from a young age! The hard and harsh life he led had made him unscrupulous but somehow, they detected some humanity in him.

"After you graduated, you went to a wrestling school, right?" Vince continued his questioning.

Raven grew tired of the incessant questioning and said, "Tell you what. Let us dispense with the questioning. I know you're a busy man so I'll just run my life story by you in a few short lines. No, I didn't go to a wrestling school until I was twenty. I learn how to survive by using my fists and brains on the streets. You have to learn to protect yourself, especially when you have no one to count on. I graduated to using a knife for defense. I'm pretty adept with it. I draw, read and write, and garden in my spare time. I live alone and I have a mean streak. That's about it! Can I go now?"

Vince stared at him and after some time, nodded silently. He watched Raven thoughtfully as he got up and left. Shane shut the door behind him and approached his father. He waited for him to say something.

Vince leaned forward to speak into the speaker phone, "Doctor Wilson, you can join us now."

The psychologist entered from the side door and the three men proceeded immediately to discuss and evaluate their findings on what they had just found out. The psychologist gave his assessment and left after Vince dismissed him. Shane waited for his father's decision.

After several minutes and Vince still remained silent, Shane prompted, "Dad? What do you think?"

Vince tapped his fingers on the table as he contemplated. He finally leaned forward and said, "I'm going to help him."

~*~

_Present time back at the Hardy's home in Cameron …………….._

"Ohh ….." Jeff moaned as Glenn attacked his neck and shoulders. He was sitting astride Mark who was lying on a mattress on the floor. They had moved to the floor since Jeff's bed was not big enough to accommodate the three of them. It would be more convenient as well, since they were intent on attaining multiple orgasms after the long period of separation.

Gilbert, Matt and Jeff's father, had decided to stay with his neighbor, Sam, for the time being while their guests stayed over. He had witnessed the positive change in his younger son and was pleased that he had finally snapped out of his gloom. Truth be told, he was glad to get away for a while. He now had an excuse to go on that fishing trip he and Sam had been talking about for quite some time but never seemed to get around to it. The boys had the whole house to themselves to do as they pleased.

"Markk..…" Jeff whimpered as Mark thrust upwards into him vigorously. He was riding Mark like a stallion, bouncing up and down on top of him. Mark held him down by his hips and thrust up against him, burying deep into him. He growled, feeling the heat pooling at his groin and grind up against his pretty cherub. He closed his eyes as the feelings built, bringing him near the edge. He opened half-lidded eyes, glazed over with desire and whispered huskily, "Oh bits, I could love you all night like this!"

He bounced Jeff onto his cock, burying himself deeper with each thrust, loving the tight heat that enclosed him in a loving embrace. Jeff threw back his head and moaned sweetly just as Mark started to stroke him fast and hard in time with his thrusts. Both men were approaching their climaxes and Glenn grinned gleefully. Soon, he would bring Jeff to rapture again, but he had another agenda on his mind as well.

Just as he finished his thoughts, Jeff screamed his release and Mark felt his cock choked by Jeff's spasms. With an animalistic growl, he shot his load, filling Jeff with his seed, blessing their long awaited reunion. Both men panted with their exertions, their bodies covered by perspiration.

Mark recovered sufficiently to withdraw his softening cock and pulled Jeff down on top of him to kiss him. He whispered tenderly, "Love you so much, Jeff!"

Jeff gave him an exhausted smile and laid his head on his chest, murmuring, "I love you, too!"

Glenn started to caress Jeff's back. He ran his fingers lightly down his spinal column before bending to kiss and nibble gently the expanse of his back, moving to his fleshy nether cheeks. Spreading them apart, Glenn eyed the wet pucker. Mark's cum was dribbling out and he lubricated his fingers with them before inserting two digits into Jeff's love hole and probed for his prostate. Jeff cried out as Glenn's fingers found his love button. He wriggled against Mark as Glenn worked on his prostate. Mark drew in a sharp intake of breath as Jeff writhed against him. The friction caused his cock to harden again.

Glenn grinned as he worked Jeff into a frenzy. He pulled Jeff lower and reached below him to stroke him to full hardness again. Jeff's keening grew in intensity as waves of pleasurable sensations swept through his quivering body. Glenn tightened his fingers around the base of Jeff's shaft with one hand and thrust his fingers into Jeff with the other, causing him to shout out his name in delirium. He felt Jeff's balls lift and tightened, he was almost on the verge of climaxing again. Withdrawing his fingers quickly, he pulled Jeff's hips up and positioning himself behind Jeff, slid his cock in smoothly with one hard thrust. Jeff cried out before leaning his forehead to rest against Mark's chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, crying out incoherently as Glenn plunged furiously into him, encouraging him to shout and scream.

"Come on, baby, let the whole world know who is making you scream! I know you love it when I fuck you hard … like this!" and he rammed into Jeff, making him scream out his name, repeatedly. Glenn grinned and said, "Yes! Louder, Jeff, louder! Show me how much you miss me!" He followed each word with a thrust, harder than the one before it.

In the room next door, Adam, Jay and Chris were trying to block out the screams by burying their heads under their pillows.

Jay finally lifted his head, threw his pillow at Chris and said in an exasperated tone, "It's all your fault! Why did you have to agitate Glenn by kissing Jeff? We know he's trying to make you squirm with jealousy. Now, all of us have to suffer because of you!" He gritted his teeth as his cock twitched as the screams came again.

Adam unburied his head and groaned, "First Mark, and now Glenn! I'm getting aching blue balls! If I hear Jeff scream one more time …" and just at that moment, Jeff let out an earth shattering scream, he had climaxed. Adam bit down on his lip and whimpered. He was so hard that it hurt.

Chris swallowed audibly. He couldn't get the image of Jeff, on his back, legs hooked around his waist, arching up against him, moaning and writhing underneath him as he drove into him, out of his head. He looked down woefully at the tent on his boxers and sighed. It looked like he had to go to the bathroom and take care of the problem himself.

They heard rapping on the wall next to them and Glenn's voice rang out, "Enjoying yourself, Chrissy boy?" Chris heard him snigger loudly and then say, "Eat your heart out!" He then roared with laughter.

They heard Matt call out, "Guys! Do you mind? Shannon really didn't need to hear all that!"

In Matt's room, Shane chuckled amusingly while Shannon pouted while thinking, _'Why must everyone treat me like a kid? I'm already sixteen!' _

When Shane found out that the guys would be staying for a week, he had asked Matt if he and Shannon could stay with them for that duration. Matt had smirked and nudged him knowingly and agreed. He was glad that Shane didn't need coaxing to get close to Jay and from the way Jay had been throwing discreet looks at his friend, he knew that it was a matter of time before the two men got together.

In Jeff's room, Mark was having a really **hard **time. Jeff rubbing against him had made him so hard that he needed to get off again. But their little pup was too exhausted to continue. He smiled tenderly at the weary but satiated look on Jeff's face but frowned when he heard Glenn chuckle at his discomfort.

"Need a hand, big brother?" Glenn asked as he quaked with laughter. Mark moved to slap him, annoyed by his teasing, but Glenn moved out of his way and snorted with laughter.

Jeff raised his weary head to find out what the commotion was about and couldn't help grinning when he saw Mark's problem. He shifted and got up to go to the bathroom and returned with a wet towel. Carefully but thoroughly, he wiped Mark's cock clean. His touches drew needy groans from him. Mark didn't know he could grow any harder. Jeff giggled before throwing the towel aside. He fisted Mark's cock before engulfing it with his hot, wet mouth.

"Jeff!" Mark shouted out his name and grunting, he thrust into his mouth, his fingers grasping his golden locks to hold his head still. Glenn rested his head on one arm and lovingly kneaded Jeff's sweet ass as he continued to pleasure his brother. It didn't take long before Mark shot his second load and Jeff swallowed it all. He wiped his mouth and asked Mark with an impish grin, "Feeling better?"

Mark pulled him up to kiss him tenderly and said, "Without a doubt!"

Jeff settled himself between the two men and sighed happily. Soon, his eyes closed and within seconds, he was sound asleep. Mark and Glenn wrapped an arm each protectively around him. They watched him sleep.

Finally, Glenn asked softly, "When are you going to tell him?"

Mark pondered before saying, "Matt said he will talk to him. I will step in only if needed."

"Do you think he's prepared to see him?" Glenn asked anxiously.

Mark sighed. "We will just have to wait and see. Lets just enjoy our time with Jeff," and in a more subdued tone, he added, "it may be our last."

Glenn shifted closer to spoon Jeff. They would be devastated if Jeff chose to leave them but there was nothing they could do. Jeff had every right to choose who he wanted to be with.

~*~

Raven let out a sigh of relief as he stepped out of the room. It was his last session. He was compelled to see a psychologist three times a week for six long weeks! Vince stated clearly that unless he did what he said, he would not hesitate to withdraw bail and put him back in jail for trial on charges of kidnapping, assault and rape.

Vince had taken the liberty of calling the parties involved and informed them of Raven's sorry state of a childhood. He asked them to show clemency towards Raven and was met with an outcry of outrage from almost everyone. Surprisingly, it was Mark who talked them around to giving Raven a second chance, telling them that no one was infallible. Hunter, Scott, Matt and Chris finally reluctantly agreed to drop all charges against him after Vince promised that he would force Raven to undergo counseling for his rash behavior.

After the meeting, Glenn and Matt had pestered Mark for an explanation for his intervention on behalf of Raven. Mark had simply said, "He saved me, he's still human. But, most importantly, Jeff has feelings for him."

Both men were taken aback by that revelation but the more they thought about it, they realized that Mark could be right. The indicator was that Jeff adamantly refused to press charges against Raven. A couple of days later, Mark had approached Matt after discussing with Glenn. He asked Matt to coax Jeff to come back but the days had dragged into weeks and soon, two months had passed and Jeff still refused to return. Finally, Matt told them that Jeff was hurting bad and needed them. He had arranged for them to go down to Cameron to stay at their place instead. The day they flew to Cameron was the day Raven finished his last counseling session.

As Raven walked out of the building, Kevin and Scott approached him. The Kliq had been assigned by Vince to ensure that Raven turned up for his appointments and they were to report to him if he failed to do so. They were pleasantly surprised to see Raven attending the sessions faithfully. After the second week, they had noticed a visible change in him. He was more amiable and seemed friendlier. They got to talking and Kevin told him about the arrangement to fly him down to meet Jeff after he completed his sessions.

For the first time in his life, Raven actually felt an emotion, somewhat close to kinship, towards his fellow co-workers. He couldn't understand why they would bother and help him after what he did but nevertheless, he was grateful for the offer of friendship.

"What now?" Raven asked them and Kevin grinned before saying, "We wait for Matt to call. If he gives the green light, we head down to Cameron and you'll get to see Jeff."

Raven asked nervously, "Do you think he'll agree to see me?"

"We really don't know but with Mark around, he should convince Jeff to see you," Kevin told him and Scotty added, "Don't worry, Jeff listens to his brother and Mark."

Raven looked confused. "Why would Mark help me? I would expect him and Glenn to be the last people to speak up for me. They wouldn't let Jeff go, he belongs with them," he said quietly.

"You don't know Mark at all, that's why everyone respects him! I don't need to say more, just wait and see," Kevin assured him.

"Let us go get something to eat. I'll call Matt later to find out the outcome," Scott said.

Raven wished the butterflies in his stomach would just dissipate. He didn't think he could eat but found himself following the two men to their vehicle. By tonight, he should know if Jeff would agree to see him. He had so much to say to him and he prayed fervently that for once in his life, someone would love him too.

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Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

Thank you so much for your fabulous reviews!

_Bellahickenbottom - OMG! Did you just curse me? Well, I'll be damned! *laughs diabolically* I'm glad that you finally like Birdie just that little bit more!_

_Redsandman99 – So, you still don't trust the Birdman. Hmm … do you doubt his love for Jeff or is it something else?_

_KakashiXIrukaLover – Who Jeff picks will not be answered in this chapter. But whether he wants to see Raven, now, that will be answered here._

_Takerslady – You want me to pair Shanny with one of the guys? Hmm, I've a couple of ideas but we'll just have to wait and see what my muses say to it. And yes, I totally agree! A blow job after anal sex? Definitely a no no without washing first! I just couldn't proceed with it until the cleansing was done but it actually killed the excitement of impending sex._

_NeroAnne – You're not sure who to root for now, do you? Lets see if Raven has any tricks up his sleeve to try and woo Jeff to his side. Has he really changed? It remains to be answered._

_Esha Napoleon – I knew you wouldn't change your mind! I expected it from you, especially one so supportive of her grandma who adores the so gorgeous Deadman! If I recall correctly, you lost two bets of $50 each to your grandma over my last story because she betted that Mark would get Jeff in the end and he did. Better safe than sorry, huh?_

_Seraphalexiel – You may have a point there. Who really knows what was on Raven's mind when he turned back to save Mark._

_Rratedauthor – No one knows where I'm going with this, even myself. Until this afternoon. *sigh* I could never follow a plot and I'm surprising myself yet again with the turn of events._

* * *

Chapter 27

"One … two … three!" Chris screamed as he found himself sailing in the air and then ... splash! Adam and Jay just tossed him into the lake! He gasped as the cold water hit him. The guys were at the lake that Shane and Shannon were the day before. They had awakened to a bright, sunny day and decided to spend a day out in the sun.

Adam and Jay chortled with laughter, forgetting to watch their backs. They gasped when they found themselves the targets of Matt and Shane who pushed them in roughly from behind. Both fell into the water with a yelp. Matt and Shane laughed before jumping in after them. Shannon shouted to them to watch out below before he leapt in as well.

Jeff giggled nervously and backed away slowly as Mark and Glenn eyed him with mischievous gleams in their eyes. He turned to run but Mark's agility and speed caught him and he found himself lifted into his arms in a bridal fashion. He protested laughingly when Mark moved towards the water. He shrieked when Mark jumped into the water with him in his arms and Glenn let out a delightful whoop before crashing into the waters after them.

The water was cold but the warm air made up for it. On Matt's urging, Shane swam up to Jay and after a short while, they separated themselves from the crowd and swam off to the floating platform. They climbed on board and sat side by side, legs dangling in the water. Soon, they were engaged in deep conversation and after a while, light laughter was heard coming from their direction. Adam and Chris watched them with amusement from a distance.

Chris said thoughtfully, "They seem to get along well, what you think?" He continued to tread water.

Adam floated himself on his back and responded lazily with half-lidded eyes, "I think they're going to fuck each other like rabbits by tomorrow night."

"That's not what I meant!" Chris assumed the same position as Adam and they floated beside each other. "I want to know what you think of Shane?"

Adam sighed blissfully as the hot sun bathed his face and murmured, "Matt says they've been friends for a long time, so he's okay in my books." A sudden thought hit him and he asked curiously, "Are you jealous?"

"Of course not! I just don't want Jay to get hurt," Chris confided in him after some hesitation. "I just want the best for Jay. He deserves to be happy after the both of us failed him!"

Adam righted himself and pushed Chris' head underwater. As Chris came up spluttering, he said, "Let us get this straight, Jay was the one who rejected me!" His eyes twinkled as he added, "You're really something! Underneath that macho act, you're a real softie at heart, aren't you?"

Chris narrowed his eyes and growled, "I am not!" He threw himself at Adam and both men tussled in the water, trying to best each other. Their friends turned towards the commotion and soon, were shouting encouragement to them, taking sides. Both men soon grew tired and finally swam towards the platform to join Shane and Jay. They flopped down beside each other and enjoyed the sun beating down on them.

Jeff had swum back and was already climbing the steps to the pier with Mark and Glenn following close behind. Laying themselves on the towels, they basked under the sun with eyes closed. Glenn pulled Jeff to rest in the crook of his arm while his other hand played softly with his curly wet tresses. The brothers were preoccupied with their own thoughts. Matt would be bringing up the subject of Raven to Jeff later on that day. Both had mixed feelings about it but they had to do the right thing by Jeff. They loved him too much to do any less!

Matt and Shannon watched the two groups and Shannon said with a pout and downcast face, "I don't have anybody!"

"Aww… don't be like that, Shanny. You're only sixteen. You'll find someone soon enough," Matt consoled him. He splashed water playfully at him and said, "What say we go get burgers and ice cream after this? My treat."

The offer brought an immediate smile to Shannon's face and he nodded excitedly. He missed spending time with Matt and Jeff and was glad that they had not forgotten him after their big break. They had always been close. Jeff was protective of him more so than Matt as he and Shannon have been friends since childhood. They had gone to the same school. As they grew up, the Hardyz taught him how to wrestle. Shannon was looking forward to joining the brothers on the road but he knew it would take a while before that happened. Thank God he still had Shane and they were as close as brothers could be!

Both men finally climbed out to join Jeff and the indestructible duo on land. They sat down beside the three men and sniggered softly when Glenn let out a light snore, he had dozed off. Shannon still couldn't help feeling awed by their overwhelming presence.

"They're really big!" he whispered as he hugged his knees and watched them snooze.

"Shanny, everyone looks big to you!" Matt teased and Shannon punched him on his arm and protested, "Hey!" He went into full pout mode again, he wished he was taller.

Jeff opened his eyes. "Matty, please stop teasing Shan. You'll upset him and then, I'll have to beat you up."

Shannon grinned impishly and said, "Yeah! One more short joke coming from you and Jeffy will take you out!"

Matt snorted with laughter. "As if he could!" and immediately, Jeff sat up. "You want to bet on it?" His eyes twinkled merrily.

Matt felt his heart lift as he watched the change in his brother. Mark and Glenn's presence had done Jeff a world of good. Jeff was more cheerful than he had seen him for a long time.

"Jeffro, I'm bigger than you and outweigh you by almost twenty pounds. What makes you think you can take me out?"

Matt folded his arms in a cocky pose and waited for Jeff's response. He enjoyed seeing Jeff being his feisty self and waited with anticipation for his quick retort.

Shannon frowned and leaned towards Jeff to whisper, "He's right, you know."

Jeff whispered into his ear and Shannon's face lit up with a smile. Matt looked on amusingly. They had conspiracy written all over their faces and he wondered what they were up to. Both men giggled before they got to their feet, trying to look innocent and nonchalant.

Matt stood up warily and asked, "What?"

He didn't like the looks on their faces and then it hit him! Those two were going to gang up on him! He turned quickly and took off, Jeff and Shannon right behind him. They might be small but they were fast! They threw themselves forward and took Matt down. The fall knocked the wind out of him and despite protesting and kicking, Matt found himself being carried towards the edge of the pier, with Jeff holding to his shoulders and Shannon, to his feet. With loud giggles, they swung him, intending to throw him into the water at the count of three but at the last count, Matt grasped tightly onto Jeff's trunks and as he went flying, he took Jeff with him. Jeff let out a yelp of surprise as he hit the water with Matt. Both men came up spluttering but Matt was gasping with laughter. He held onto Jeff's trunks and started to swim away, leaving his brother to shout at him with exasperation to come back. He started to swim after Matt but his twin pale moons was exposed and upon hearing the others chortled with laughter, he slipped further into the water and covered his red face with his hands in embarrassment.

Adam and Chris immediately leapt in and started to swim towards Jeff to assist him. Mark and Glenn were roused by the commotion and had jumped into the water as well after witnessing Jeff's embarrassing incident. They reached him first and couldn't help chuckling as their little pup clutched and buried his face against them. Adam and Chris joined them shortly. They were trying to hide their smiles but failed miserably. The water was crystal clear. Now, if they would only dare to duck their heads under and sneaked a peep at Jeff without incurring the wrath of his two large protectors!

Glenn ran his hand behind Jeff and groped him, grinning diabolically at Chris and drawing a whine of protest from Jeff. Chris was so tempted to dive under and see Jeff in his full naked glory just to wipe that grin from Glenn's face but the look of distress on Jeff's face stopped him. Mark scolded Glenn for making mischief at Jeff's expense before towing Jeff back while he covered his privates with both hands. Shannon ran out to them with a towel while Matt looked on, doubled over with laughter at the side. He finally came forward to hand his brother his trunks but he couldn't stop laughing. Jeff pulled on his trunks underneath the towel before turning his attention back to Matt.

"How could you, Matty? You left me all naked out there!" he pouted.

Matt pulled him in to hug and apologize to him, "I'm so sorry, Jeffro but it was so damn funny!" Jeff found himself quirking with amusement. He had to agree that if Matt was in his shoes, he would have laughed his ass off!

A giggle escaped him and Matt ruffled his hair playfully before saying, "Come on, I've something to tell you. Can you guys excuse us for a bit? I want to talk to Jeffro alone." Now was the time to tell Jeff about Raven. Scotty was waiting for his call.

Mark and Glenn suddenly grew solemn. They nodded quietly as they watched Matt pull Jeff to sit in a secluded corner. Shannon eyed them curiously. He could sense that something was going on from the terse looks on their faces.

He hesitated before asking, "Is something wrong?"

There was a lapse of silence before Mark finally said quietly, "I hope not."

Inwardly, he kept telling himself, _'Dear God, I hope I'm not making a mistake by allowing this to happen!'_

~*~

He couldn't believe it! Kevin and Scott just told him but he still couldn't believe it! His feelings were all over the place. Jeff had agreed to see him! After two months, he was going to see his sweet wildflower again! And this time, he didn't have to hide. Raven couldn't help grinning. Things had turned out really well for him! They would be leaving tomorrow for North Carolina!

Scotty couldn't wait to see his Matt again. They had only been separated for a couple of days but he missed him already. Kevin was telling Sean that they had been invited to go down as well. Hunter and Shawn looked on quietly and Kevin finally turned to them with a solemn look on his face.

"I'm sorry, guys but … you've been invited as well!" He grinned at the bewildered looks on their faces.

Sean chuckled before saying, "Matt's still angry with you two but he's ready to forgive and forget. You should be thankful that the brothers are very forgiving by nature."

He turned to Raven, "This is your chance to make things right, don't blow it!"

Before Raven could say something to that, Kevin interrupted. "We better get packing. We'll be staying for almost a week. I'll call Vince now to let him know."

As the others made their way out, Kevin sat on the bed and dialed Vince's number. Vince said to call once word came in.

The phone was picked up on the third ring. "Hello?" an unknown voice came over the phone.

Kevin frowned. Did he call the wrong number? "Hello, who's this?" the called party asked again.

"This is Nash, I'm looking for Vince McMahon," Kevin replied.

"Hold on, I'll get him."

Kevin heard voices in the background and then Vince was on the line, "What is it, Nash?"

"You said to call once we heard. We're flying down tomorrow to North Carolina."

He could hear the pleased note in Vince's voice. "Good! I'm glad I work the storylines to get all of you off for a week. Let me know how things go. Call me if you need anything."

Vince hanged up and turned to his secret lover, who was leaning on the bedpost, his ankles neatly crossed. "Is everything okay?" he asked as Vince sat back next to him.

Vince looked thoughtful and then he finally nodded. "I think it will work out."

His lover smiled and said, "You worry too much! Let the boys take care of their own problems. You have enough on your mind already!" He shifted and started to massage Vince's shoulders. "You need to relax. Your muscles are all knotted up!"

Vince closed his eyes blissfully as he felt the tension leaving his body. They didn't get to see each other much. They had to be careful not to get caught, especially when his son, Shane was always close by.

"Better?" his lover asked and Vince nodded before turning around.

"Thanks, Eric. Is there anything you can't do?" he asked.

Eric Bischoff leaned in and whispered under his breath, "You haven't seen nothing yet!"

~*~

Matt made arrangements to have some of their friends stayed over at Shane and Shannon's houses. Their place just wasn't big enough to accommodate everyone! There was going to be some reshuffling once Raven and the other Kliq members arrived. Everyone was excited, with the exception of Mark and Glenn. They had remained quiet most of the time since Jeff agreed to see Raven. But they knew it wasn't an easy decision for him. Jeff didn't concede immediately to see Raven. After Matt told him about Raven's past and what Vince did to get him some help and that everyone had dropped their charges against him, Jeff was left more confused than ever. He didn't know what to think anymore. After what he had been through, he just wanted to stay away for awhile. He wanted time to think and the longer he thought, he wanted things to be as what they were before his troubles with Raven began. He knew, without a doubt, that he loved Mark and Glenn. They meant the world to him, besides his brother and daddy. But Raven was something else altogether. He was moved by his sweet offerings of flowers and touched by his persistence, but there was something amiss. He just couldn't pinpoint it and he didn't know if he actually wanted to find out.

Matt had been persuasive. But Jeff told him that he felt as if he was betraying Mark and Glenn all over again by just agreeing to see Raven. It was Mark who approached him later that day and told him that it was okay by him and Glenn if he so decided to see Raven. Matt was quick to add that it was just a meeting, nothing more. But Jeff remained anxious. He couldn't see the whole purpose of the meeting, except maybe to have closure, but then, closure to what? The two times that Raven had taken him had not been mutual. He was actually afraid to see Raven again but finally gave in. If there was going to be any closure, then, he might as well see him and get it over with. He wasn't sure about his feelings for Raven or if they were healthy. But what he felt for Mark and Glenn felt so right and he was afraid to jeopardize it.

That night, as he lay between them, their bodies shimmering with perspiration with the afterglow of their union, Mark and Glenn had assured him, yet again. They had caressed the bracelet around his ankle and reminded him, "Just like the diamonds, our love's eternal. Whatever happens, we'll always support and love you! We just want you to be happy."

Their assurance lent him the courage to face Raven the next day. He spent the night, cocooned between them, comforted by their mere presence. Mark and Glenn talked softly to him the whole night. They reminisced the times they spent together. By the time the three men fell into an exhausted sleep, the beginnings of sunrise had broke through the curtains, casting a soft glow over them. Their limbs were entangled as one.

~*~

Shane had progressed to holding Jay's hand by the following day, amidst teasing from the others. Chris and Adam were happy for Jay. They were despondent, however, that they were still without a partner, though. Shannon understood exactly how they felt. With Shane hanging around with Jay, he also felt lonesome.

Matt bit on his lip thoughtfully as he watched Adam and Chris. He just didn't get it. Those two made a compatible pair but why couldn't they see it? They shared the same liking for rock music, Italian food and even liked the same man, who, unfortunately was already taken. He shook his head. Maybe they needed some prompting? He made up his mind to do just that, but he needed help and he knew who he could go to for help! It was just the thing to take his mind off things.

At the first opportunity, Matt approached Glenn. He liked Glenn's sense of humor and was going to use him to get the two Canadians to fall for each other. After conspiring with Glenn, both men made a beeline to Adam and Chris. Mark heard their conversation and shook his head at the idiocy of their plan. But, he was glad that Glenn was making progress in making friends. He seemed to have developed a close, albeit annoying relationship with Chris. In fact, he seemed to get a kick raising Chris' hackles! Mark wondered if Glenn would ever fall in love with another man if Jeff left them. If things didn't work out, he was worried that Glenn would go back to his old self, being a loner, and he didn't want that to happen.

He looked over at Chris and mused silently, _'Would Glenn get with Chris if Jeff was no longer with them?'_ He finally shook his head. If Glenn felt the same way he did, they would never love another man the way they loved Jeff. His reverie was broken by shouts coming from Matt and Shannon. He glanced over and couldn't help smirking when he saw what was happening. It looked like they had started their role-playing.

Glenn had pinned Adam's hands to his back and his body was pressed insinuatingly against him. Adam was struggling frantically to free himself as Chris stood by, shell-shocked. Glenn had come over a few minutes ago, demanding to know if it was true that Adam entertained thoughts of getting his hands on Jeff. Matt had feigned a sorry look, muttering that he had accidentally let it slipped. Adam had stuttered and stammered and Glenn had grabbed him then. He threatened Adam with bodily harm, telling him that he would hurt him the worst possible way and had pressed up against him, giving him a suggestive grin.

Seeing Adam hapless in Glenn's hold snapped Chris into action. He pummeled Glenn's back before jumping on his back and locked an arm around his neck, yelling, "Get off him this instance! You hurt him, you die!"

Matt almost doubled over with laughter at Chris' protectiveness over Adam but when Glenn started to gasp for air, he jumped in and shouted to Chris to let go while trying to unlock his arm around Glenn's neck. But Chris had it in a vice grip and was too infuriated to listen. When he saw Glenn pressed his body against Adam, he saw red and wanted to claw his eyes out!

Matt shouted repeatedly for him to let go. He began to get worried when Glenn's face started turning blue. Someone pulled him back and before he knew it, Mark had grasped Chris' arm from around his brother's neck and pulled him off with ease. He held on to the still screaming man who was kicking and thrashing to get free. Glenn gasped for air and rubbed his neck, a scowl on his face. He didn't expect to be on the receiving end of a chokehold for his troubles.

"Do you want to tell him, or should I?" Mark addressed Matt with a cold stare.

Matt looked down with embarrassment. He murmured, "Sorry," and sent Glenn an apologetic look before quietly taking his leave. He took Shannon along with him. It was best to leave them alone.

In spite of his good intentions, Matt had actually brewed trouble for once. Mark sighed before looking over at Glenn to check on him. He didn't look damaged. He shook his head before muttering, "Stupid idea!" and released Chris. He walked away and Glenn followed him with an abashed look on his face.

Adam immediately rushed to Chris and asked in a worried tone, "Are you okay?"

Chris straightened his shirt before nodding, "Yeah. Did he hurt you?"

Adam smiled shyly at him and said, "No. Thanks for helping me out, I really appreciate it."

He chewed on his bottom lip nervously before asking in almost a whisper, "Huh, Chris, want to go out tonight, just the two of us?"

Chris was taken aback by surprise but he hesitated only momentarily. Finally, he said, "Sure, why not?" and broke into a grin.

Adam returned his grin and said, "Let us ask Matt where we can go. We have yet to explore this small town."

Both men left immediately to look for Matt who decided to make himself scarce for the moment. He didn't want Mark on his back. He had plenty on his mind already, worrying about the outcome of the upcoming meeting, without having to deal with his foolish ideas. It didn't work out as he had planned, Matt thought. If he only knew!

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_The section on Vince/Eric is dedicated to LCHime, an avid follower of this unusual pairing. She asked me if I have a soundtrack for this story. I didn't have one in mind then but since she mentioned it, I've decided that "Slave4You by Britney Spears" would be appropriate. Hope all of you like it!_

Reviews greatly appreciated ………………………………….


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

* * *

Chapter 28

Jeff sat on the porch, legs bent towards his chest. He was chewing on his nails nervously. It was mid afternoon and their guests would be arriving any time soon. Mark and Glenn sat on either side of him, they were in a solemn mood.

Glenn looked over at Jeff and finally reached over to pull his hands away from his mouth while saying, "You need to stop chewing on them or you'll end up with misshapen, torn nails, sweetie."

Jeff sighed but he needed something to do. He just couldn't sit and wait and do nothing, his nerves were totally frayed! Desperately, he looked around for something to do to keep him occupied but there was nothing else to catch his attention. He had to do something to calm his nerves, so he pulled his shirt end to his mouth and started to chew on them.

Mark smiled fondly at him, hugged him close and said, "Don't be nervous, we're all here."

Jeff returned his smile and said softly, "Thank you. I don't know what I'll do without the two of you."

Glenn looked down at the ground and asked quietly without raising his eyes to meet Jeff's, "Will you be leaving us anytime soon?"

He couldn't help asking. Mark warned him not to give Jeff added pressure at that point in time but he had to know! Not knowing what was on Jeff's mind was killing him!

Jeff gasped in surprise. Where did Glenn get that idea?

He moved to wrap his arms around Glenn, resting his head against his shoulder and assured him, "I'm not going to leave you or Mark at all! You will always belong in here" he tapped his own heart, "with me. Nothing's going to change how I feel about you two. I love you all so much!"

He spoke the last sentence softly but with firm conviction.

His words brought relieved smiles from both Glenn and Mark. They wrapped their arms around him and said, "We love you too!"

Mark kissed the top of his head while Glenn kissed his temple.

Matt watched them with a soft look in his eyes. He was not wrong to entrust his baby brother to them. They had shown nothing but love and concern for him. Even at that time of uncertainty, they had put Jeff's interest ahead of theirs, swallowing their pride and setting aside their own fears, fully knowing that there was a chance that Jeff might leave with Raven. If this wasn't love, then he didn't know what it was!

Shannon tugged at his arm to get his attention and asked impatiently, "Why is it taking them so long? They should be here by now."

Everyone was waiting outside the house, awaiting their guests' arrival.

He had heard so much about the infamous Kliq from Matt and was looking forward to meeting them finally. Matt had explained to him what had happened and told him the purpose of their visit. Shannon was disappointed when he heard about Hunter and Shawn's bad behavior. He had idolized the two men since he got into wrestling. But, it couldn't have been that bad since they had been invited to come down as well. _'They must have changed for the better,'_ he thought to himself. He hoped so because he couldn't bear to think of them in a bad way. His loyalty still lies with Jeff and Matt though.

He looked over to Shane and Jay and wasn't surprised to see them cuddling together. They had been inseparable since yesterday but they had yet to do the naughty deed. Jay still stayed with Adam and Chris last night while Shane spent the night with Matt and Shannon. _'What are they waiting for?'_ Shannon mused but decided to mind his business. Now that he had lost Shane's company, he was eagerly looking forward to meet the new visitors and show them around.

He turned to watch Adam and Chris curiously. Matt told him about his foiled plan to get the two together but looking at them now, he wasn't sure if Matt's assumption was wrong. It was so obvious that those two were trying too hard not to show their interest in each other, giving each other furtive glances from time to time when they thought the other wasn't looking.

Shannon turned to Matt and asked, "What's going on with them?" he gestured to Adam and Chris with his thumb.

Matt turned his head in the direction he was pointing. His eyes widened in surprise and a smile slowly broke on his face.

He chuckled amusingly before turning to Shannon and said, "I think they are checking each other out! We must have done something right!" he enthused, a pleased look on his face.

"I'm going to tell Glenn that he, getting choked was all worth it!" he told Shannon and jumped off the porch railing to do just that. Shannon followed him eagerly.

Glenn smirked when he learnt of their success in getting Adam and Chris together. He could, now, safely take them off their 'to watch' list. He felt good about doing something nice for a change, even though getting choked wasn't his idea of fun and he told Matt so.

Jeff giggled and told them their task wasn't over yet.

"They are still unsure about each other. I bet they will be going out on a date soon or something. Let us help them along a bit. We need to create opportunities for them to spend time together!"

Jeff clapped his hands excitedly before turning to his smart aleck brother, "Matty, you always have bright ideas, what do you suggest?"

Mark groaned and said, "Guys! Why can't you leave them be? If they're meant for each other, fate will bring them together. Stop poking your noses in other people's business! Nosey posies!" he muttered under his breath.

Jeff wrapped Mark's arms around him and looked up at him endearingly, "I have you and Glenn and I've never been so happy in my life! I want Adam and Chris to find what we have. Don't you want to help them to be happy?" and batted his lashes prettily at him.

Mark melted under that adoring look and stopped grousing. He reluctantly agreed to help.

His reaction caused Glenn to snicker and said in a taunting tone, "So, the tough Deadman isn't that tough I see. Hmm … losing your touch, big brother?"

He grinned when Mark sent him a warning look. Their attention was suddenly diverted when they heard the sound of approaching vehicles and soon, two cars turned around the corner and came down the driveway. Both men suddenly turned somber. Raven had arrived. They got up with Jeff and stood close to him as the cars pulled to a stop in front of the house. The doors opened and their visitors stepped out of their vehicles. Kevin, Sean and Raven piled out from the first car while Scott, Hunter and Shawn exited from the second vehicle. Kevin shouted out a cheery greeting before moving towards them. The others joined him. There was an exchange of greetings, handshakes and introductions were made. Matt and Scott hugged and kissed each other and were joined at the hips thereon. Raven finally moved forward. He had his eyes trained on Jeff who looked down awkwardly, unable to meet his eyes. His fingers twisted the end of his shirt nervously. Mark squeezed his shoulder gently while Glenn held his hand, giving him the support he needed.

Raven stepped closer until he was about two feet from Jeff. He dragged his eyes away from Jeff just for a few seconds to give Mark and Glenn a nod of acknowledgement before turning them back to Jeff. He could see that Jeff was all nerves and he looked … afraid! Raven cursed inwardly at himself for causing that fear. He didn't know how to proceed. Matt diverted everyone's attention.

"Why don't we go into the house? We can talk in there. Jeffro, will you help me with the luggage?"

Matt requested and with a sigh of relief, Jeff jumped to the task, glad to have something to do. He couldn't bring himself to talk to Raven yet.

But before he could go back into the house with the bags, Matt pulled him aside to say, "You need to talk to him, Jeffro. He came here just to see you, to speak to you. Don't turn him away without talking to him first."

"Matty, I … I don't know what to say to him," Jeff said and bit down on his lip.

Matt spoke gently, knowing that his brother had every reason to feel that way, "Just say what's on your mind. You don't have to be afraid of him."

"I'm still scared! I'm afraid to talk to him," Jeff said in a hushed whisper.

"He's not going to hurt you. Scotty says he has changed. They'll be staying here for a week. You can talk to him when you feel more comfortable but please, don't ignore him. We want to be the gracious hosts, don't we?"

Jeff nodded and said, "I'll try." He hesitated before asking, "Will he be staying here, at our place?"

Matt pondered before saying, "We'll decide after dinner. We better go in before they start wondering what we're up to."

He turned to Shannon who was struggling with the big bags, "Shanny, leave that to us. Can you help Shane to serve drinks to our guests?"

Shannon put down the bags gladly and ran towards the house. He was so excited about meeting everyone but they weren't properly introduced yet. It wasn't everyday that well-known wrestlers stepped into their homes for a visit!

The living room was crowded. Jay helped Shane and Shannon to serve drinks and after everyone had a drink in their hands, only proper introductions were made. Kevin eyed Shannon with interest as he was being introduced.

"My, you're adorable!" he said. He turned to Sean and said, "Lookie here, baby. Isn't he cute?"

Shannon blushed but was pleased with the compliment. _'Kevin sure is hot as hell!'_ were his thoughts.

Sean joined Kevin and turned to study Shannon.

He nodded his head in approval and grinning, commented, "If all the guys from around here look so damn cute, I think we better get one of our own before they're all taken!"

He tapped his chin and contemplated loudly, "Jeff and Matt have been taken. Hmm … are you taken yet?"

He addressed Shane and Jay immediately moved in front of him and staked his claim, "He's with me!" he stated in a possessive tone and challenged Sean with his eyes.

Raucous laughter followed and Jay frowned at them. Shane looked pleased as punch!

"Okay, okay, don't get uptight! He's all yours!" Sean grinned as he put up his hands to show Jay he wasn't about to fight him over Shane.

He turned to Shannon and appraised him. "Blonde, green eyes and really cute dimples! How old are you, kid?"

Kevin snorted with laughter. Sean was generally referred to as 'the Kid' and it amused him to hear him calling someone else 'kid'.

"Sixteen," Shannon piped out cheerfully and grinned impishly at him. Sean immediately took a liking to him and from the way Kevin was running his eyes appreciatively up and down the cherub, he knew Kevin was very interested.

Jeff got up from the floor where he had situated himself against his protectors' feet and moved towards Shannon's side.

"Please don't trifle with his feelings, Shan is my best friend," Jeff said softly before grasping Shannon's hand protectively in his.

He looked nervously at Kevin and Sean, worried that they might take offense to his interference. Shannon was startled momentarily but he appreciated Jeff's concern for him. He squeezed his hands and smiled up at him.

Sean gave Jeff a reassuring smile and said, "We wouldn't dream of hurting your friends. We won't force him to do anything if he doesn't want to. You've our word."

Jeff relaxed visibly. The Kliq's word was good enough for him. He moved back to Mark and Glenn but this time, Mark pulled him to sit on his lap. He curled up comfortably around him and rested his head against his chest.

Raven followed him with his eyes and couldn't help the twinge of jealousy that coursed through him. Why was Jeff ignoring him? He thought Jeff agreed to see him and wanted to talk to him but so far, he hadn't done any of those. Jeff was not even meeting his eyes! Feeling hurt, he got up and excused himself before heading outside. He needed to get out of the house! Seeing Jeff in another man's arms just tore him apart!

Eyes followed him out until Sean said, "Shouldn't someone go after him?"

They looked at one another and surprisingly, Hunter volunteered, "I'll go."

Even as he walked out, everyone looked dubiously at his retreating back.

Finally, Matt asked, "Do you think that's wise? Raven was the one who bashed his head in."

Shawn pondered over it before getting up, "I'll keep an eye on things, just in case," he said and hurried after Hunter.

Mark wrapped his arms around a very quiet Jeff and asked softly, "Aren't you going to talk to him?"

Jeff shook his head, "I'm not ready to face him yet." He buried his face against Mark's chest and whispered, "I need more time."

Mark hugged him and asked, "Do you want me to talk to him? Let him know that you'll talk to him when you're ready, just so he knows that you're not deliberately ignoring him?"

Jeff raised his head, "Could you? I don't want him to think that."

Mark brushed his hair back from his face and nodded, "I'll talk to him after dinner then," and Jeff gave him a warm smile of gratitude.

Matt and Scott excused themselves and went upstairs in a hurry. Everyone sniggered, knowing that they were trying to make up for lost time. Kevin and Sean asked Shannon to show them around and he bounced with delight. He enjoyed their attention and made a mental note to tell Matt that he wanted them to stay at his house. He wanted to get to know them better.

Shane and Jay disappeared outside quickly. Mark and Glenn tried to hide their yawns. They were tired, having spent the whole night awake. Jeff chased them off to take a nap. They urged him to come up with them, saying he was up all night as well but Jeff said he had to start preparing dinner since Matt had, huh … things to take care off. Adam and Chris volunteered to help him in the kitchen and Jeff accepted their help gladly. The three men headed into the kitchen while Mark and Glenn went upstairs to take a much needed rest.

Jeff donned an apron and Adam and Chris couldn't help sniggering.

"What?" Jeff asked in a puzzled tone and Adam said between sniggers, "You look so wifey in that apron!"

Jeff placed his hands on his hips and sent him a supposedly intimidating glare but it only drew more snickers from them. He threw his hands in the air in frustration before turning to the task of preparing dinner. Opening the refrigerator, he surveyed the contents before pulling out vegetables, mushrooms, potatoes and steaks. Next, he rummaged the larder, glad that their daddy had gone grocery shopping a few days ago. They had to prepare enough food to feed fourteen people.

"What do you want us to do?" Chris asked as he moved behind Jeff to look over his shoulder at what he was doing.

"Can you and Adam wash and cut the vegetables? I want to make a salad to go with the beefsteaks. The potatoes have to be cleaned, boiled, peeled and mashed. I'll tenderize and season the steaks and make the gravy. Now, where is that bottle of wine? I need to prepare the marinating sauce for the steaks."

As the three men busied themselves, washing, peeling, cutting, chopping, the tantalizing smell of the gravy cooking over a small fire wafted through the house, bringing Matt down. Scott decided to take a nap before joining them later.

Matt took a spoon and tasted the gravy, "Mm… this is good, Jeffro!" and Jeff beamed at the compliment. He didn't cook often, leaving it to Matt or their daddy but he had picked up some culinary skills.

"Matty, what do you think we should make for dessert?" Jeff asked as he opened the refrigerator and surveyed their choices. "We have plenty of eggs," he informed his brother.

"Lets make lemon meringue pies then," Matt said and Jeff nodded enthusiastically before saying, "Make lots of them! I could just eat them for dinner! We better chill the beers and wine. Daddy bought some fizzy drinks too. Throw them into the fridge as well.

"Lets have some music," Chris said and fingered the dial on the radio on the counter until he found a channel he liked. "Rock music okay?" he asked and everyone yelled their assent.

Soon, they were cooking up a storm, singing along and prancing around. Laughter filled the kitchen. Raven watched them silently from the kitchen doorway. They had not seen him yet. He just came in five minutes ago from his walk. Hunter had a long talk with him before that ……

Both men had found a clearance in the pine woods and sat down companionably on a log. It was so peaceful around them.

Raven sniffed the air appreciatively and said, "Don't you love the smell of the woods? It reminds me of my own home," he said wistfully, a longing look on his face.

Hunter chuckled, "Yes, I know what you mean. This is paradise!" and took in a deep breath of fresh air.

There was a long silence and then Raven said quietly, "I don't think he wants me here."

Hunter sighed. "After all that has happened, you shouldn't expect him to welcome you with open arms. You have to give him time to come to you. It's not easy for him to see you here."

"I've never meant to hurt him. It's just …" Raven stopped before finally letting out a heavy sigh and said, "forget it!"

"You love him, don't you?" Hunter asked and Raven said in a frustrating voice, "Does it really matter? It's obvious he loves Mark and Glenn. He refused to even look at me!"

"That's because he's still afraid of you. You need to show him that he doesn't have to fear you."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Raven asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"You were pretty intimidating when you stared at him without saying a word. Try making casual conversation, let him feel comfortable with you. Once he realizes that you bear him no ill intentions, he'll open up to you. But you have to be patient. I can still see the fear in his eyes."

"Did he forgive you for what you did?" Raven asked curiously.

Hunter suddenly looked uncomfortable. He finally said, "Mark and Glenn forgave me but I haven't spoken to Jeff yet. There was so much going on, I didn't get a chance to apologize to him yet. I will before I leave."

"What about Shawn? Has he reconciled with Mark and Jeff?"

Hunter looked surprised. "How did you know?"

Raven gave him a small smile, "I make it my business to know what's going on."

Hunter nodded his understanding. He paused before saying, "Shawn has yet to talk to them. He felt bad about what he did and he wants to make amends."

"You love him, don't you?" Raven asked as his mouth quirked into a smile.

"What can I say, he's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with," Hunter admitted.

"You're a lucky man! But, if I were you, I will stake my claim on him so that he'll not get away from me. He strikes me as being kind of … flighty."

Hunter laughed at his description of Shawn and said, "Shawn knows how I feel about him but he doesn't want to commit himself."

"But why not? Doesn't he love you?"

"He loves me but he's not ready to commit," Hunter said.

"And you're fine with that?" Raven asked with an incredulous look on his face.

Hunter nodded and Raven asked, "Aren't you afraid to lose him to someone else?"

"If he's meant to be with me, he'll come back to me. You can't force someone to love you even though you may love him with all your heart. Your love for him may be strong but his love for someone else may supersede what he feels for you. I don't want to behold Shawn to me if he doesn't love me near enough. If he finds someone who can make him happier, I will gladly let him go because the only thing that matters is that he's happy."

Raven sat quietly, analyzing Hunter's heartfelt words. The only sound in the woods were the voices of nature; the quiet whispering of the wind, the sounds of falling leaves, the distant cry of a bird, the gentle rustling of leaves, the chirping of insects and sounds of other unseen forest critters …

Somehow, everything that seemed out of place suddenly became crystal clear. Raven's doubts were cleared and he realized what he had to do.

He got up slowly to his feet and said, "Thanks for enlightening me. I think I will heed your advice. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to spend some time alone. I think I'll just explore these woods on my own."

Giving Hunter a smile, he moved off, the sounds of leaves and dry grass crunching under his feet.

Hunter watched him go before a sound behind him caught his attention. Shawn moved into view and came slowly towards him. He finally sat down beside him.

He stayed quiet for a while before saying, "That was … an eye-opener for me. I'm glad I caught it."

He paused for a long while and then finally asked, "Am I worth it, Hunt? Am I worth all the trouble and pain I've caused you?"

Hunter gazed softly at him before saying tenderly, "More than you ever know, Shawn!"

Tears started to fill Shawn's eyes. "Oh Hunt!" he cried softly and moved into his waiting arms. Hunter hugged him close.

It was a while before Shawn could speak again. "Thank you … for being so patient … I'm ready to come home with you now."

_~ Back to the present ~_

Jeff shook his booty and turned in a half circle to the loud music playing over the radio. Opening a drawer, he grabbed a wooden ladle and bumped the drawer shut with a sharp thrust of his hips. Gyrating, he danced to the stove, stuck the ladle in and stirred the cream of mushroom soup while shaking his booty to the music, singing slightly off-key to the song.

Chris rapped rhythmically on the hanging empty pots with two wooden spoons and sang along. He sounded pretty good. Adam and Matt bumped and grind their hips, chortling with laughter. They knew they couldn't dance as well as the others but it was great fun to just fool around.

With arms folded across his chest, Raven watched them with amusement. Matt finally saw him and hesitating only slightly, he moved towards Jeff and grabbed him. He twirled his baby brother who giggled and danced him towards Raven, with Jeff's back facing Raven so he didn't know of his intention.

As Matt neared him, Raven realized Matt's intention and reached out with both hands as Matt turned his brother in a half-circle to face Raven. Raven put one hand around Jeff's waist and held Jeff's hand with the other even as he tensed. Jeff's eyes grew wide with shock. He gave Jeff a genial smile before dancing him backwards. He dipped Jeff sharply downwards, causing him to gasp and brought him slowly back up, holding on to his eyes.

As the song changed, he danced him over to Chris and released him, speaking softly, "Thank you for the dance. I'll see you later."

Without another word, Raven turned and left, leaving Jeff with a stupefied look on his face.

* * *

Reviews greatly appreciated ……………………………


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

What can I say but thank you! I'm really motivated to make this more interesting as I go along!

But before you go on to read, I have something to say about your reactions to Vince/Eric. Come on now people, even old people needs loving and they do have sex! And we're not talking about just anybody here, it's Vince and Eric! They are so good at what they do and they are very much alike, except Vince is so much wealthier. So, give them due credit and respect their secret affair. But LCHime, I'm sorry but I won't be mentioning them again in here. Enough said, on with the story!

* * *

Chapter 29

Matt wasn't sure he was doing the right thing but on a whim, he seated Raven directly opposite his brother at the dinner table. Hunter and Kevin were seated on either side of Raven. Three tables were joined to accommodate everyone. All throughout the meal, Raven couldn't help staring at Jeff. Hunter had discreetly kicked him underneath the table while hissing behind his napkin, "Stop staring! You're making the poor boy nervous!"

Jeff kept his eyes down but occasionally glanced up furtively at Raven. Each time he looked up, Raven caught his eyes and he would quickly avert them. He felt so self-conscious and in his state of anxiety, started shoveling mashed potatoes into his mouth without realizing it.

Raven watched him quietly for several moments before finally speaking up, "Save some of that for us, Jeff. There won't be any left if you keep stuffing those potatoes into your mouth."

Jeff choked on a mouthful of potatoes and Glenn patted him on his back and asked, "Are you okay?"

Jeff swallowed and gasped and nodded his head. He turned red with embarrassment. Wiping his mouth with a napkin after taking a sip of water, he tried very hard not to look at Raven. But he had to look up sometime and he just couldn't avoid Raven's eyes. He blushed, noticing Raven was still looking at him.

Kevin called his attention when he asked, "So, Jeff, when are you coming back?"

Jeff hesitated momentarily before informing him that he had yet to decide. It was the truth. He hadn't decided if he wanted to return at all.

Shawn addressed him quietly at Hunter's side, "Don't take too long to make up your mind, we miss you."

Jeff wasn't the only person who was startled by his words. But Shawn wasn't through springing surprises.

He looked at everyone and in a somber tone, spoke quietly but clearly, "Since I have everyone's attention, I want to apologize to all of you for my past and recent bad behavior. I'm sorry I've been acting like a damn fool and asshole! I hope you can forgive me."

He turned to address Jeff, "Jeff, I'm really sorry for all the nasty things I've said to you. I didn't mean them at all, I was just jealous. I won't blame you if you'll never speak to me again, but I hope you can forgive me. Please, will you forgive me?"

Jeff smiled warmly at him and nodded, "I can never hate you Shawn, I forgive you. I'm glad we can be friends."

Shawn smiled at him gratefully before turning to Mark and Glenn. "I don't know if it's too late for me to make amends but I'm truly sorry for all the things I've done. I've caused grievous pain and hurt to the both of you for the longest time ever. I know my saying sorry isn't going to cut it but please accept my apologies and forgive me? I would hate myself if you don't."

Mark responded first. "You are forgiven Shawn but there's something else I would like to say." When Shawn waited for him to continue, he added, "When you're holding something precious as love in your hands, don't ever take it for granted and let it go. You'll never know if you can find it again. I hope you'll think about what I've just said."

He glanced over at Hunter and gave him a nod of acknowledgement when he gave him a smile of gratitude.

Shawn nodded quietly. He moved to grasp Hunter's hand, which was resting on top the table, and said to Mark, "I'm not letting love slip away from me a second time! Thank you for everything that you've done for me, your friendship and your compassion to forgive me in spite of what I did! Thank you, Mark, for being my friend!"

Mark nodded and smiled and Shawn let out a deep sigh of relief. He was glad that Mark had forgiven him finally. He turned to look hesitatingly at Glenn who wasn't about to make it easy for him, for Shawn had hurt the two people that meant the whole world to him - Mark and Jeff.

Jeff realized that Glenn was looking grimly at Shawn, who looked down shamefaced, not expecting his forgiveness. Feeling sorry for the heartbreak kid, he kicked Glenn gently in the shin under the table and mouthed, "Please?" Glenn hesitated before letting out a sigh of resignation.

He spoke in his usual gruff manner, "We'll bury the hatchet. I forgive you since Mark and Jeff have forgiven you." He still found it difficult to completely forgive Shawn but he would try since he didn't want to make things uncomfortable for anyone.

Shawn smiled, relief written all over his face. Jeff suddenly jumped, making the plates and cutlery clang against the table. Glenn's hand stroked his inner thigh underneath the table and he leaned over to whisper in his ear, "You owe me one, sweetie!"

Snickers could be heard around the table and Jeff turned crimson. He took a drink from his glass, trying to look nonchalant.

Shawn apologized to all the Kliq members as well, "I promise to behave from now on. If I step out of line, please feel free to kick my ass!" he told them. Some guffawed and others smiled.

Hunter grinned and said, "Don't worry guys, I'll do the kicking myself if it comes to that!" and everyone laughed. The tension eased considerably in the room as they resumed their dinner, eating leisurely and making casual conversation.

After dinner, the guests decided to bring their bags to where they had been designated to stay for the week. Jay would move over to Shane's place and stay there with Shawn and Hunter, while Kevin, Sean and Raven would stay over at Shannon's. Scott would be staying with Matt and the rest of the guys. Before departing, some of them made plans to explore the night scene of the little town. Adam and Chris cried off, saying they had other plans and disappeared into their room. They were going out on a date that night and they didn't want anyone to find out. They intended to sneak out when the others weren't around.

Matt decided to bring the others out to a watering hole located just on the outskirts of Raleigh. He had only been there a couple of times but the place had a pleasant ambience. They promised to meet after they had unpacked.

While they were collecting their bags and getting ready to go, Mark approached Raven and asked, "Can we talk?" and he nodded without hesitation.

Shannon said he would bring Raven's things back with him and come back for him later. He left the house with Kevin and Sean, practically bouncing with excitement. Kevin and Sean laughed amusingly as they followed him out, bowled over by his zest for life.

Raven followed Mark outside to the backyard. They sat on the rocking chairs and stayed quiet, listening to the crickets calling out into the night.

Raven finally broke the silence, "What do you want to talk about?"

Mark turned towards him, "It's about Jeff."

When Raven didn't say anything, he continued. "First of all, he's still nervous around you. He didn't want you to think that he's ignoring you but he says he will talk to you when he's ready." Raven nodded his understanding but remained silent.

"What are you expecting from him?" Mark asked him quietly. He was never one to beat around the bush. He didn't expect Raven to give up pursuing Jeff. The man had gone to great lengths and got into a lot of trouble to get his hands on Jeff.

Raven looked up at Mark, "I don't know … maybe, his understanding?"

"Jeff's so confused now," Mark spoke carefully, "he doesn't know how he feels about you yet. But I want you to know that whatever his decision, Glenn and I will respect it, and so, should you."

Raven looked surprised. "Jeff has feelings for me?"

When Mark nodded, he felt overwhelmed by the thought that Jeff might possibly love him. But was it true and if it was, why would Mark let him have access to Jeff? And then, it dawned on him. Mark said he and Glenn would respect Jeff's decision. The two men loved Jeff so much that they were prepared to sacrifice their own happiness if he so decides he loved another. They only wanted Jeff to be happy.

Raven studied Mark silently, wondering if he was for real. Everything he heard being said in the locker room about the Deadman was true and it was no wonder everyone respected him!

He gave him a small smile and said, "You don't have to come out here and tell me this but I really appreciate what you're doing. And, thanks for dropping the charges against me." He hesitated before asking, "Do you think he'll talk to me now? Almost everyone's gone. He may feel more comfortable without an audience.

Mark paused before getting up. "Wait here, I'll go and ask Jeff but don't be disappointed if he refuses to see you now."

Mark disappeared back into the house while Raven waited anxiously. Minutes ticked by and the back door finally opened. He glanced up quickly and was relieved to see Mark returning with Jeff. Jeff looked so nervous that Raven felt sorry for putting him through the ordeal.

Mark guided the nerve-wracked blonde over and assured him, "We'll be right inside if you need us," and left immediately, pulling the door closed behind him.

Jeff slid quietly into the rocking chair and folded his legs up. He rocked gently, trying to quiet his nerves. His heart was racing at Raven's close quarters and he licked his lips nervously. He wasn't prepared to talk to Raven but Mark told him that even if he didn't want to speak to him, he should at least listen to what he had to say.

Raven sat watching him for several moments before speaking in a gentle tone, "Don't be afraid of me, Jeff, I won't hurt you."

Jeff nodded without looking at him. He wrapped his arms around himself and waited for Raven to speak.

"I miss you," Raven said quietly. Jeff blushed but remained silent. He stopped rocking the chair, giving Raven his full attention but still not looking at him.

"I did what I did because I want to be with you. I'm sorry that I went about it the wrong way. I shouldn't have kidnapped your brother and I'm sorry for almost getting Mark killed in the process. But don't expect me to apologize for … loving you."

He spoke in such a soft endearing tone that Jeff found himself quivering. He tightened his arms around himself to still his trembling.

Raven leaned slightly towards him and said, "I'm not asking you to reciprocate my feelings but I just want you to know how I feel about you. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

He paused, realizing that Jeff was trembling. He wasn't sure if it was out of fear or he was just getting emotional but his bet was on the latter. He decided to back off. Maybe he was pushing it just a little at their first meeting. He didn't want Jeff to feel awkward around him.

"I think I've said enough for the time being. Maybe, we could talk some other time when you feel more comfortable."

He waited to see if Jeff would say something to him or just walk away.

There was confusion written all over Jeff's face. This Raven was not the one he knew. The man sitting in front of him was a changed person altogether. He didn't know what to make of him.

He finally raised his eyes to meet Raven's, "I … I don't know what to say." He swallowed hard before continuing, "I … I need time to think over what you've just said."

He wasn't sure how to proceed but Raven gave him a comforting smile, "It's okay, you don't need to say more. I understand."

He decided to steer to a safer subject so that Jeff would feel more at ease with him. "I took a walk through the woods earlier on and it clearly reminds me of home. It's so beautiful and peaceful out here."

Jeff flushed with pleasure and murmured shyly, "Thank you. Do make yourself comfortable during your stay here. There isn't much to do in our little town but we'll take you all out tonight for some fun."

He got up to his feet and Raven joined him. Both men gazed at each other for a while, Raven looked at him with tenderness and Jeff just looked uncertain. He stood quietly and bit down on his lip when Raven reached out and tenderly brushed back some hair that had fallen across his face. The look of desire was evident in Raven's face.

Jeff spoke quickly, "I'll see you later," and disappeared into the house.

Raven stood there silently, watching the closed door. A smile slowly broke across his face and he whispered to himself, "I'll see you later, Jeff."

He was pleased to make some headway with Jeff. At least, they were talking now.

~*~

Getting everyone transported to their venue proved to be a problem. With only two vehicles, it would be a challenge to squeeze all twelve people, excluding Adam and Chris into them. They finally decided that it would be easier to take cabs there instead so they could drink to their hearts' content without worrying about driving back.

The group was in high spirits as they entered the bar. Since it was a weekend, the place was fairly packed. The guys craned their necks to look for a place to sit. Kevin finally gestured for them to follow and led the way to some vacant seats right at the back, away from the stage. The group settled down and it wasn't long before a waitress came to take their orders.

"Scotty, remember, only two drinks and then soda from then on," Matt reminded his devoted lover. Scott let out a sigh of resignation before nodding his head in assent.

Soon, their drinks came and the guys relaxed and soaked in the ambience. The band played country rock and was pretty decent. There were two billiard tables and a mechanical bull located at the far end opposite the bar. Several customers were having a roaring good time trying to best their friends' time in staying on it. But everyone got unseated fairly quickly.

Jeff and Shannon whispered excitedly as they eyed the contraption with curiosity. They had never stepped into a pub, less rode on a bull. Shannon was far too young and Jeff received too much unwarranted attention that neither was allowed to step into one, until now.

Glenn noticed their interests and asked, "Want to try it?" and both nodded eagerly. He grinned and got up, "Come on then! Let us see who can stay on it the longest! The winner gets to name his prize!"

Jeff and Shannon eagerly jumped to their feet and Glenn led them forward. As he approached, the rider got off graciously and gestured for him to go ahead. He and his friends stood around with folded arms and big grins on their faces, waiting to see just how good the newcomers were.

Glenn asked, "Who first?" and Shannon yelled, "Me!" and scrambled on top the bull. The bull started rotating slowly but it suddenly bucked and dipped and threw Shannon off under 10 seconds. The bystanders roared their amusement but Shannon grinned at them good naturedly. He dusted himself off, determined to try again after Jeff and Glenn had a go at it.

Jeff got on next. He hanged on tight, hugging the contraption with his knees and nodded that he was ready. The machine started rolling. He realized it was hard to hang on when the bull swung suddenly to the left and dipped sharply, causing him to tumble off it. He squealed with laughter, it was fun! He did no better than Shannon and got to his feet as laughter broke from the crowd but this time, there were some catcalls too. He ignored them, enjoying himself too much to let them dampen his spirits. He gave Glenn a thumb up, wishing him luck. Glenn settled himself comfortably and signaled he was ready. To everyone's surprise, he hanged on much longer and managed to stay on for forty-five seconds. The crowd applauded him and he beamed with satisfaction.

With the exception of Mark, Kevin and Raven who chose just to sit and watch with amusement, the rest of their friends also went up to take a turn at the bull and met with varying degree of success in their first ever attempts at bull-riding. So far, no one had made it to the one-minute mark. There was much hilarity in their attempts. They tried to ride the bull in pairs as well. Sean got his pants almost pulled off by Shannon who fell half way off behind him and tried to hang on by holding on to his pants. They only managed 38 seconds. Glenn and Jeff partnered each other and stayed on the longest for 46 seconds. Shawn and Hunter almost beat their time but was a close second in 45 seconds. Matt and Scott couldn't stay on longer than 35 seconds while Shane and Jay did better at 40 seconds. Everyone had a good time and just when Glenn and Jeff were declared the overall winners, they heard a familiar voice called out to them to wait. Before they knew it, Chris and Adam pushed their way towards them.

"You haven't won yet! Adam and I want a turn on it!" Chris said. "Come on, Adam, lets show them how it's done!"

Both men found out that the only decent pub near the Hardyz' home was here. There wasn't anywhere else they could go out on a date so they decided to join their friends.

Adam looked dubiously at the machine and said, "Huh … I've never ridden a bull before, Chris."

"Just hang on, how difficult can it be?" Chris said as he approached the contraption and Adam followed reluctantly. "Front or back?" he asked and Adam opted to sit at the back.

When both men were ready, the machine was started. The bull rolled, dipped, rotated sharply and bucked, swerving abruptly but they hanged on. Suddenly, it changed direction and dipped backwards and with a yelp, Adam lost his grip and slid backwards off it. He grinned, totally enjoying the experience and his friends clapped and cheered.

"How long did we stay on?" Chris asked as he climbed off the bull.

"43 seconds," Matt said with a huge grin, "Good but not good enough to beat Glenn and Jeff. They won!"

Everyone hooted and applauded and Jeff jumped up with joy to hug Glenn who squeezed him affectionately before putting him down.

Glenn said, "Now, to name our prize. Just give us a few seconds to confer," he said before he leaned down to whisper to Jeff. Jeff giggled and nodded his head fervently and the two men turned to face their fallen comrades in the bull-riding contest.

Eyes gleaming, Glenn said, "We want Mark, Kevin and Raven to come up here and ride the bull."

He grinned mischievously at the three men as the group cheered and started to chant, "Come on up! Come on up! Come on up!"

The three men shook their heads and started protesting but their friends weren't having any of that. They kept chanting until Mark, Kevin and Raven reluctantly got up to join them.

As soon as Mark got beside Glenn, he smacked him on the back of his head and muttered, "Wise guy!" Glenn rubbed his head, thinking of more ways to get at his brother for hitting him.

Jeff giggled and wrapped his arm around Mark and said with a pretty pout, "Don't be a spoil sport, Mark! It's really fun! Just try it, pluwease?"

Mark sighed and said, "None of that from you, young man! I'm going to embarrass myself in front of everyone here! I won't be able to live this down!" he said under his breath.

Kevin chucked and said, "You want to go first? Let them laugh their hardest at you first, so by the time they get to me, they'll all be pooped out from laughing so much!" He received a glare from the Deadman but chose to ignore him.

Kevin next turned to Raven, "Ever rode one before?"

Raven nodded and said, "Yeah," raising some eyebrows and a chorus of oohs and ahhs from their group.

Glenn announced with a smirk on his face, "We've just decided that this contest is now officially a team event."

He knew Mark was going to have a hard time riding the bull and he wanted to punish him by making it a trifle more difficult for him.

"Huh?" Jeff threw him a questioning look. What was Glenn up to?

Glenn continued, "Each of you pick a partner from among us to ride with you. The pair who stayed on the longest gets to name what they want and it shall be granted."

Raven asked, "You mean we can pick anyone?" and Glenn nodded.

"Do Mark, Kevin and I get to name our prize or do we have to confer with our partners?" he asked.

Glenn suddenly became wary of Raven. He hesitated to answer and Jeff whispered to him, "It doesn't matter, does it?"

Raven continued, "Since the three of us are forced to compete, you should let the winner among us name his prize."

Glenn made up his mind, "Since you put it that way, I'll leave it to the three of you to decide on it now."

Mark knew that Raven had something up his sleeves but what? _'Damn it, Glenn! Why did you put me in this position?'_ He couldn't help wondering if there were repercussions to his brother's foolish idea.

Raven turned to him and Kevin and asked, "So, what should it be?"

Kevin shrugged and said, "It's fine by me either way but I'm with you." He turned to the Deadman, "Mark?"

"I vote to confer with my partner," Mark replied, studying Raven's face. The man was up to something, he was sure of it! An uneasy feeling befell him and he knew that it had to do with Jeff.

"It's two against one, the winner among us gets to name his prize," Raven stated firmly and Mark knew without a doubt that there would be repercussions.

"It's decided then. Who wants to go first?" Glenn asked.

"I'll go first, if you guys don't mind," Raven asked and his competitors nodded their assent.

"Who will be your partner?" Glenn asked and as Mark had anticipated, Raven picked Jeff.

Mark could do nothing but watched solemnly as Jeff joined Raven by his side.

He looked up uneasily at Raven who smiled and whispered to him, "Just lean back and enjoy yourself, okay?" and Jeff gave him a slight nod. "Now, sit in front and hold on, I won't let you fall."

Jeff climbed on board and did as told. He looked over at Mark and Glenn and smiled at them. Raven settled himself behind Jeff and wrapped an arm around his waist while grasping the horn with a tight grip. "Ready?" he asked against Jeff's ear and he nodded.

The bull started to roll. With every turn, dip and buck, Raven guided Jeff to move with it. There was without a doubt that he had ridden on one before. But even so, Jeff could only do so much. He slipped to one side when the bull made a sharp 90-degree sharp turn. But before Raven could pull Jeff up, the bull turned back and dipped and Jeff slipped from his grasp and fell off. The time they managed to stay on was 56 seconds. Everyone cheered and applauded for them. There were murmurs of approval from the crowd.

Kevin was up next and he chose Shannon. As they got up, Mark pulled Glenn closer and said urgently, "I need you to partner me! Raven's up to something and if we don't beat him, Jeff will suffer the consequences!"

"Oh shit!" was Glenn's response. He started to look worried but Mark said, "It's too late for that. Just tell me what to do."

"Stay nimble and move with it but keep a tight grip on the horn. If you stay rigid and the bull changes direction abruptly, you'll fall off. I'll sit behind you and try to right you when you're unbalanced," Glenn said.

Both men turned their heads to the sounds of laughter and applause. Kevin and Shannon just fell off. They only managed to stay on for 39 seconds.

As Kevin came towards them, he clapped Mark on his back and said, "It's up to you now. I'm sorry but I didn't realize he was up to something until he chose Jeff. Good luck!"

Mark nodded and approached the contraption with Glenn. Their friends cheered for them and Jeff blew them a kiss for luck. As soon as they settled themselves, the bull started moving. Being tall was to their advantage as they were able to grip easily with their long legs. Twice, Mark almost fell off but Glenn pulled him back. But, it was difficult for him to hold onto Mark who was heavily built. He slipped too far over to his right, causing Glenn to lose his grip on the horn and both men fell. They turned to Matt who announced the result – 54 seconds. They had lost.

Jeff ran towards them and gave them a hug. "Don't be sad, you did so well out there!"

Raven approached them and said, "For a first-timer, you rode well."

Mark nodded his thanks and waited.

Glenn asked, "So, you want to name your prize?"

Raven smiled and turned towards Jeff, "I want Jeff to stay with me tonight."

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Have any of you rode the bull contraption? Let me tell you, it's not easy! It had different speed controls and you really need to put one arm out to help keep your balance. I sucked at it!

Reviews greatly appreciated ………………….


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer : I do not own any of the characters mentioned herein. This is pure fiction, written for entertainment only.

This is the final chapter. I always feel a sense of loss when I finish a story, having grown attached to the characters. I'm going to miss them! I hope you've enjoyed the ride with me. Thank you for all your lovely reviews. I hope you won't forget to review this last chapter and let me know your thoughts about it.

Next up is a Jeff/Cena fic. Mark and Glenn won't be in the story. So far, I don't have a part in it for them. I always have a penchant for these two men pairing off with Jeff and my stories always get screwed when they come into the picture! I have to do justice to Cena this time. Randy will have a major role in it as well. The first chapter will be out this week.

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Chapter 30

"The hell you will!" Glenn spat out furiously and pulled Jeff protectively against him. Jeff just looked on stunned.

"What the hell are you trying to pull? We gave you a chance to redeem yourself and this is how you repay us?" Mark advanced towards Raven in a menacing manner.

Raven put up his hands to placate the infuriated brothers, "Please, just hear me out first. I just want to spend some time alone with Jeff. I bore him no ill intentions."

"Bullshit! You took a simple game and turned it against us! You tricked us!" Glenn shouted, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Wait! This is just a misunderstanding. I swear to you this is not what it seems!" Raven protested as Mark twisted his shirtfront and pulled him towards him, his face close to his.

Speaking between gritted teeth with his face contorted with anger, Mark growled in a threatening tone, "I give you five seconds to explain yourself and if I don't like what I hear …" he gave a harsh laugh before continuing, "I will beat you into a bloody pulp!"

"Okay, but let me go first, you're choking me!" Raven managed to gasp out and Mark released him. He waited for Raven to catch his breath before barking out, "Talk!"

"Listen, I've changed, I'm not the man I used to be. Kevin and Scott can vouch for me. I know I fucked up in the past but I have no intention to do that again. I'm grateful to all of you for giving me another chance. Nobody has done anything like that for me before. Not even my own parents!" He gave a short bitter laugh. "I had done many bad things in the past which I now regret but I'm trying to atone for them. Even as we speak, I know most of you still don't trust me and I don't blame you. I know it looks like I'm trying to take advantage of everyone, especially Jeff, but I'm not. I just want a chance to explain to Jeff, to get him to know me, the changed me, the better me, that's all!"

"And you want to achieve that by getting my brother to spend the night with you?" Matt asked with an incredulous look on his face. "Are you nuts?" he exclaimed, "Who, in their right mind, would actually agree to it?"

Raven gave him a sheepish smile and said, "Huh … you all did, remember?" and Glenn growled. He was beginning to hate himself for putting Jeff at risk with his stupid game and ideas. He didn't know how to extricate Jeff from the situation and looked desperately to Mark for help.

Mark shook his head in exasperation. He always believed in keeping their word, it was the honorable thing to do. But he had something to say to all these.

"You could have just asked instead of using the game to get what you want. It looks like you're trying to deceive us and you can't blame us for reacting negatively when you employ underhand tactics like this!"

"I'm sorry but would any of you agree if I just come upfront and ask?" and the faces on everyone showed that they wouldn't have. "See what I mean?" Raven pointed out.

"You are not going to spend the night with Jeff and that's all there is to it!" Glenn declared and hugged Jeff even closer to him.

There were mixed reactions from the group. It didn't seem right though to deprive Raven his earned right but his underhanded ways bugged everyone!

"Look, why don't we just let Jeff decide?" Adam said and everyone turned to look at him like he had grown two heads. He literally cowered and mumbled, "It was just a suggestion."

Chris backed him up. "We can stand here and argue all day but we need to decide. Mark and Raven have made their point. They square off. I agree with Adam, we should let Jeff make the call. After all, it involves him."

He approached Jeff and Glenn growled protectively but Chris ignored him. Smiling gently at Jeff, he said, "Don't be afraid. We have gotten into a fix and you're the only one who can get us out of it without any bloodshed. You have to decide, Jeff, it's the only way."

Everyone had their eyes trained on Jeff and he wished he could just disappear into the ground.

Glenn rubbed his back gently and whispered apologetically, "I'm so sorry for putting you in this predicament, Jeff."

Jeff swallowed and thought furiously. What should he do?

Mark approached and spoke quietly to him, "You don't have to do this if you don't want to, Jeff. I know we're putting you in a difficult situation but you may want to take this opportunity to talk to him and confront your true feelings."

Jeff was startled by Mark's words, _'Just how much does Mark know?'_ He still wasn't sure what he felt for Raven.

Raven pleaded, "Please Jeff, all I want to do is to talk to you, nothing more."

He prayed silently that Jeff would agree. If Jeff refused, he knew he would never get another chance to be alone with him. He had broken everyone's trust in him and they would never believe him again. He knew he was taking a chance when he used the game to his advantage but he had decided to risk it. Something in Jeff's demeanor, when they spoke earlier on, told him that Jeff was receptive to his feelings. Raven just wanted to explain his actions and if he could, find out if he stood a chance with Jeff.

To his relief, Jeff actually nodded and said quietly, "I'll stay with Raven tonight and sort things out."

Glenn hugged Jeff fiercely to him, unwilling to let go and unable to speak. He felt responsible for starting something that might cost them to lose Jeff.

"It's okay, Glenny, it's not your fault. I swear I won't ever leave you and Mark!" Jeff whispered comfortingly as he hugged him back. He knew how Glenn felt and wanted to assure him that they weren't going to lose him. He loved and adored him and Mark with every beat of his heart!

Glenn reluctantly released him and Mark hugged him close and whispered against the top of his head, "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

Jeff nodded and managed a weak smile, "I know but at least, we'll have closure." He stood on his toes and kissed Mark before moving to Glenn and kissing him as well.

Raven stepped forward and said, "I promise you I won't hurt him or take advantage of him. I'll check us in a room in Raleigh and I'll bring him back tomorrow. Come on Jeff, lets go."

He took Jeff gently by his waist and guided him towards the door. Jeff turned his head back to look at them before disappearing out the door. Glenn had looked devastated and Mark had given him an assuring smile, telling him wordlessly that everything was going to be alright.

Raven hailed a passing cab and gave instructions to take them to a hotel in Raleigh. He sat back and turned to look at Jeff. He was sitting at the far end of the other door and was quiet. Raven left him to his own thoughts. He didn't want to agitate Jeff, knowing that he probably was thinking of Mark and Glenn. Raven was no fool. He could see with his own eyes just how much Jeff loved the brothers. It struck him as odd to see them sharing Jeff willingly but then again, who was he to judge others? He had seen odder things in his life and done stranger things still. What matters most to him was whether Jeff had any feelings for him and he was determined to do anything to prove that he was worthy, starting by explaining himself to Jeff.

It didn't take long to get to a hotel. Raven paid and led Jeff out. He had yet to say a word. As they checked in and took the lift, Raven made an attempt at conversation, "Are you alright?"

Jeff nodded but didn't speak. He couldn't forget the look on Glenn's face. It was almost like he was sure that he was going to lose him, but Mark? Mark seemed to know something that he didn't know. He found it disturbing and those thoughts had preoccupied his mind since he left the pub with Raven.

They walked towards the room and Raven opened the door and gestured for him to enter first. Jeff stepped in and seated himself on a chair. He gulped nervously, waiting for Raven to start.

"Wouldn't you be more comfortable on the bed?" Raven asked and Jeff shook his head and said softly, "I prefer the chair."

Raven pulled a chair and sat in front of Jeff, who immediately looked down, twisting his fingers around his shirt end.

Gently, Raven took his hands in his and said, "I just want to talk, Jeff. Can you please look at me?"

Jeff raised his eyes slowly to meet his. Raven smiled, "I'm happy you agree to stay with me tonight. I need to explain my actions and I can't do it with your brother and friends hovering around us all the time. I can't really blame them, you're so fetching that they should be protective of you!"

A tell-tale blush tainted Jeff's cheeks at the compliment but he remained silent.

"I guess by now, you've heard about my sorry tale of a childhood," Raven sighed and didn't wait for Jeff to acknowledge. "I'm sorry for a lot of things I'd done in the past but I want you to know, I didn't have a choice then. But, things have changed. I didn't believe it when I heard all the guys dropped charges against me." He paused, gathering his thoughts before continuing, "Never in my life has anyone shown me any consideration, any ounce of compassion or love." He spoke in a tone Jeff never heard before. It was filled with emotions, emotions that the man had never allowed himself to feel before. He had buried them deep within. "I think it started with Vince and Shane. They found out about my past and talked the others to drop charges. I don't know why they did it but I'm very grateful to all of them."

He caressed Jeff's knuckles gently and said thoughtfully, "I've never made close friends with anyone until I join the Federation. The people I came close to calling friends are Rhyno and Albert. Even though I joined Bradshaw's group, I never liked the man. But those two …" he allowed himself a small smile, "I regard them as my friends, I value their friendship."

Jeff found himself relaxing slightly. He was curious to know where Raven was going with this.

"Except for them, I kept to myself and lived up to the image of an uncaring, hard ass, son of a bitch. But something changed all that … you walked past me that day and threw a switch."

Memories flashed through Jeff's mind to their first encounter. Raven had pinned him against the wall and ravished his mouth. He blushed at the memory and Raven chuckled. He seemed to read Jeff's mind.

"I see you recalled. It wasn't what I would call an appropriate first meeting but kissing you that day made me feel … alive! I hadn't felt any tender feelings towards anyone until that day." His voice dropped a few notches lower as he continued, "You're so beautiful, so innocent, so wonderfully refreshing. You're like a breath of fresh air, the first waft of flowers that bloom in spring, the first call of a bird to greet a new morning, the first ray of light that ever warm my hard, cold heart." He raised a hand to caress Jeff's face and whispered tenderly, "You fill my heart with feelings I've forgotten I still have." He shook his head despondently, "But I was afraid of them, they felt alien to me. I thought I could drive them away, drive you away so that I can feel safe once more by my cold, lonely self. I did all I could to forget you but those feelings plagued me, they haunted me day and night. Reading your journal opened my eyes to your world. You are not only beautiful on the outside, but you're just as beautiful on the inside as well. You are too good for the likes of me. I'm a cold and hard man, as far as I could remember. So, I thought to banish you from my heart by making you despise and hate me by sending that crude drawing to you." Raven let out a low laugh, "How ironic that Mark punished me for my impudence and it only egged me to go after you just to spite him. But, meeting you in the lift … I'm sorry I lost control and took you against your wish. I didn't mean to hurt you. I would kill myself first before I do that!" He continued in a wistful tone, "The feeling being joined to you … it's something I can't explain but it feels so right. For the first time, I felt … whole and it was a feeling I didn't want to let go. I want to embrace it, it makes me feel alive. I became obsessed with you and thought of ways to have you, thinking that you would learn to love me in due time if we spend time together. But, I went too far. I plotted the kidnapping of your brother to force you to come to me and almost got Mark killed and for that, I'm deeply sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone, especially not you or your loved ones."

Raven let out a deep sigh and said, "I guess I've said everything there is to say. I don't know if you'll ever find it in your heart to forgive me. I apologize for all the pain and anguish I've caused you, but Jeff, I truly love you!" He paused, not knowing Jeff's reaction but he had to ask, "Do you have any feelings for me?"

Jeff had remained silent all the while but his emotions were in turmoil. They were raging in his mind and battling at his heart. He bore no hard feelings towards Raven, not anymore, after what he just heard. He wanted to weep for him. The pain and loneliness he had lived with since abandoned by his father and neglected by his mother was the catalyst to his downfall. But he couldn't be blamed. The man lived with what he was given and he wasn't given much to begin with, except the will to survive.

Jeff remembered the days after his mother died. He cried for days, weeks, months, feeling so lost without her but yet, he had daddy and doting Matty to turn to. Raven had no one. In spite of everything that had gone down, Jeff knew that in the midst of it, he had grown to have feelings for Raven. Those times they were alone together, the man had shown nothing but tenderness towards him, he was tender and gentle in his lovemaking. Jeff had to admit that if Raven had started on a good footing with him when he first met him, he might have fallen for him.

"Jeff?" Raven called out gently and Jeff brought himself to his current predicament. He didn't know how to respond. Raven studied him for a moment longer and then said, "You don't have to answer me now. I know you love Mark and Glenn and I'm not asking you to betray them." He smiled at him, "I envy them. They didn't have an easy time as well but they're good people. I'm glad you have each other."

He glanced at his watch and noticed it was almost one in the morning. "It's late. Lets get some sleep." He stood up and made his way to the single king-size bed and started stripping down to his boxers while speaking, "You want to use the bathroom first?" and Jeff nodded before quickly making his way to the bathroom to get clean up.

Raven smiled, watching him go. He knew how bashful Jeff was and intended to let him undress without his presence. As soon as Jeff got out, Raven went into the bathroom. After finishing his business, he walked back out to see Jeff already in bed, with the covers pulled up. Chuckling to himself, he lay down beside Jeff and turned off the lights.

Sighing softly, he said, "Good night Jeff" and got a soft response. Jeff buried himself underneath the covers and yawned, rubbing his eyes. It had been a long day and he was tired. Raven turned on his side to watch him. Jeff was almost asleep. He was drifting off when he felt an arm wrapped around him. Cocooned by the warmth of the man beside him and the blanket, he snuggled against the body and fell fast asleep in mere seconds.

Raven watched him for a while and assured that Jeff was soundly asleep, leaned down to kiss him and whispered, "Please tell me that you love me back."

~*~

A month had passed ……….

Jeff shot out of the tube and squealed as he sailed through the air before hitting the water. Seconds later, a succession of bodies hurtled out of the same tube. Shouts and laughter filled the air as they caused a big splash, sending a large body of water up and drenching their dry, sun-loving friends lying on the deck chairs around the pool.

Chris got up from his chair, removed his shades and yelled at them, "This is the third time you've drenched me! Do you guys hate me so much?" His friends just laughed and went back to their play. Chris muttered, "I hate them," and started to dry himself off with a towel.

Adam heard him and lowered his shades, "No, you don't! You just act like you hate them!"

Chris quirked a smile and sauntered towards him, "I guess you know me better, Addy. Hmm … I think you miss a spot, want me to help you put on the lotion?"

Without waiting for a reply, Chris started to lavish the suntan lotion on Adam's back and massaging him as well. Adam purred with delight.

Jay was busy on the phone, talking to Shane. The two lovebirds never failed to call each other several times a day. Jay always flew down to North Carolina during his off days to spend time with Shane.

Hunter and Shawn got up from the deck chairs. Shawn sighed dramatically, "We might as well get into the water since we're wet."

He put his foot in to test the water and withdrew it quickly, shuddering. How could they stay in the cold water? He turned to tell Hunter that he had changed his mind but with a yelp, ended up in the water fairly quickly, Hunter just pushed him in.

Spluttering, Shawn sent a glare at Hunter and said, "Just for that, you're not getting any for a week!" The grin on Hunter's face turned to dismay. Jumping in quickly, he tried to pacify his lover.

Mark, Kevin and Scott watched with amusement as they leaned against the side of the smaller pool, safe away from the activity of the much larger one. Matt, Glenn, Sean and Jeff kept climbing to the top to hurtle down the tube. They seemed to be having a blast!

Glenn grinned as he swam forward to catch Jeff, who was giggling and trying to swim out of his reach. Glenn's powerful strokes finally caught him.

"Nooo …" Jeff laughed in protest as Glenn pulled him into his arms. "Bad boy! You teased me and tried to get away from me. Look at what you've done!" and Glenn pressed his lower body against Jeff, letting him feel his hard on. Jeff squeaked as Glenn kneaded his butt cheeks underneath the water.

Matt scolded the both of them, "Stop that! Jeff, stop teasing Glenn or I can't stop him from taking you here in front of everyone! Glenn, stop rubbing yourself against my brother or I'll tell Mark! And please, stay under the water! My eyes!"

Sean chortled with laughter and pulled Matt away, "Let them be! I want to see them make out, right here, right now!" and he smacked his lips deliciously at that thought. Matt sent him a death glare. Sean feigned a squeak and swam towards his giant lover, "Kevin baby, Matthew wants to hurt me!"

Kevin chuckled and turned to Scott, "Your Matthew's quite a hothead."

"Nah … my angel's an angel. He won't hurt anyone," Scott stated and gazed adoringly at Matt who was trying to pull Jeff from Glenn's iron grip. He kept yelling at Glenn to let his brother go, showing no fear of him.

Sean snorted as he joined them, "He will kick Glenn's ass and anyone else if they hurt his brother! I wish Shannon was here, he'd help me." They had kept in touch with Shannon and were going up to visit him the next time Jay flew up to see Shane.

Sean smirked suddenly and asked, "Does the fire in Matt carry to the lovemaking? It must be hot, huh?"

Scott suddenly had a heated look in his eyes as he nodded, "Yes, he's all fired up in bed! But, he's still my pussy cat, my little dark angel."

"Love is blind," Kevin said and everyone roared with laughter. Scotty just shook his head at them. They turned their heads to the group heading towards them. Both groups exchanged pleasantries before the three men, who just joined them, jumped into the larger pool. One of them headed straight towards Jeff while the other two headed towards Hunter and Shawn.

"How is everything working out?" Kevin enquired as he watched Raven greet the others.

Glenn had released his hold on Jeff and was seen talking casually to Raven. Laughter could be heard coming from them and Mark found himself smiling genially at the scene.

"So far, so good," he said.

He watched as Glenn, Raven, Jeff and Matt swam towards the steps and started climbing up. He turned next to watch Rhyno and Albert chatting amiably with Hunter and Shawn. Jay had finally finished his conversation with Shane and had joined Chris and Adam who were just getting into the pool to join the others.

Kevin nodded, "It's about time you took in more people into your circle."

The Brothers of Destruction had finally accepted three new members, Raven, Rhyno and Albert, but Jeff was exclusive to only Mark, Glenn and Raven and vice versa. The group now shared adjoining rooms but Jeff stayed four times a week with Mark and Glenn and three times a week with Raven.

Mark recalled that morning, a month ago, on Jeff's return from his stay with Raven. He told them that he had feelings for Raven. He was caught in a dilemma, not wanting to leave Raven in a lurch and had pleaded to them to take in Raven. The brothers had deliberated and finally agreed. In their hearts and minds, Raven deserved a second chance. Mark knew that Jeff had been harboring feelings for Raven and was waiting for him to come to the realization. It took Glenn a while to accept Raven but he had finally come around. Jeff had assured him that he would never lose his place in his heart and that he was very special to him. Glenn was the one who caught Jeff's attention the first time they laid eyes on each other.

Rhyno and Albert were only accepted into the group about a week ago. Raven considered them his friends and they decided to recruit them into their group. So far, everyone seemed to get along well. Mark was considering taking the Canadians in as well but he had yet to talk to his other members. Whatever decision to be made, it would have to be a unified one.

His thoughts were interrupted by squeals of laughter coming from Jeff. He chuckled as he watched Glenn steal Jeff right from under Raven's nose and carted him off to loud protests from the Birdman. From the way things looked, everything was going to be alright.

Later that night …………..

Raven placed soft kisses all over Jeff's face before moving down his neck. He nibbled and sucked, drawing pleasurable sighs from Jeff. Moving his head lower, he sucked and tugged gently on Jeff's nipples with his teeth, causing Jeff to arch towards his mouth and gasped sharply before moaning out loud. "Scotty …" Jeff called out and mewled, his hands grasping gently onto Raven's hair, his eyes closed in pleasure.

Raven stopped and chuckled. Jeff opened his eyes in bewilderment, "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Do you realize that your brother's lover is also called Scotty?" and Jeff couldn't help but giggle.

"It's weird, isn't it?" he said.

Raven nodded, "Yes, but Matt only has Scotty but you, my pretty wildflower, has three lovers!"

Jeff blushed with embarrassment. It did make him sound like a horn dog to have three lovers but he loved each and every one of them. They were his soul mates.

"Are you jealous?" Jeff asked in a worried tone but Raven shook his head. "How can I be jealous when they agree to share you with me? I'm grateful to them," he said sincerely.

Jeff's eyes gleamed with mischief, "What about me? Aren't you grateful that I spoke to Mark and Glenn on your behalf?"

"Oh yes! I'm eternally grateful to you and I'm going to show you just how grateful I am!"

Saying, Raven pulled Jeff's legs up to expose his pretty pink pucker. Bending Jeff's legs against his chest, he lowered his mouth and licked around the puckered skin before pushing in his tongue. Jeff whimpered and squirmed, the delicious sensations sent his mind reeling.

Raven worked him wet and ready before positioning himself between his legs. He wrapped Jeff's legs around him and pushed into Jeff slowly, loving how hot and tight Jeff felt around him. He moaned as he buried himself deep into Jeff and held still, waiting for Jeff to adjust to the intrusion. Jeff squeezed his eyes tight, his hands clenching the sheets and whimpered. Raven started to move slowly, pulling and thrusting, enjoying the sounds emitting from Jeff's throat. His lover arched his back to meet his thrusts and cry out his name softly. Raven increased his pace and wrapped one hand around Jeff's slender shaft and pumped him in time with his thrusts. He pushed in deep and grind against Jeff's prostate, making him shout out deliriously as he arched to take him deeper. Jeff's cries filled the room and Raven took satisfaction that he could bring pleasure to his little one without having to worry about repercussions. His life had changed for the better, thanks to a lot of people. As he built up to his release, he felt Jeff's impending climax from the way his cock was seized suddenly in a vice grip and with a loud cry, Jeff released into his hand. Raven pumped him until he was dry before lifting Jeff by his buttocks to get better leverage, he thrust in deep and fast and it didn't take long before he released his hot seed into Jeff, crying out his name.

Both men lay limp with exhaustion, gasping and waiting for their heartbeat to slow and return to its regular beat. Raven pulled Jeff to lie in the crook of his arm and kissed him tenderly on his lips. He whispered endearingly, "Thank you, Jeff, for letting me into your heart. Thank you for loving me."

~*~ _THE END _~*~

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Reviews greatly appreciated …………………………………………..


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